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ANNUAL   REPORT  OF  THE   SUPERINTENDENT 


1948-1949 


BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


CITY  POINT  BRANCH 
r     373     _ 

THE  F»tJBLlfe'  tlBWARY 

□  F  THE 

CITY  DF   BaSTDN 


Boston   Public   Library 

Do  not  write  in  this  book  or  mark  it  with  pen  or 
pencil.      Penalties    for    so    doing    are    imposed    by    the 
Revised  Laws  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts. 

This  took   was  issued  to   the  borr 
last    stamped    below. 

ower    on  the  date 

'■■[Vpni;. 

» 

THESE  ARE 

YOUR  CHILDREN'S 

SCHOOLS 


ANNUAL  REPORT  1948-1949 

DENNIS  G.  HALEY,  Superintendent  of  Boston  Public  Schools 


mucM 


In  School  Committee,  June  30,  1949. 
Ordered,  That  this  Committee  hereby  adopts  as  its  Annual  Report  for  the 
year  1949,  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Superintendent,  being  School  Document 
Xo.  2,  1949. 

Attest: 

Louise  K.^ne, 
Secretary. 


(.■?,000-7-29-'49.) 


379 


)    ynjt^i'^^^ 


THE   SCHOOL   COMMITTEE   OF   THE   CITY    OF    BOSTON 

ADMINISTRATION     BUILDING,     IS    BEACON     STREET 
BOSTON    8,     MASSACHUSETTS 

OFFICE  OF  THE  SUPERINTENDENT- NINTH   FLOOR 


June  1$,  19h9 

School  Committee  of  the  City  of  Boston 
15  Beacon  Street 
Boston  8,  Massachusetts 

Gentlemen: 

I  transmit  herewith  to  you  and  to  the  citizens  of  Boston  the 
annual  report  of  the  Superintendent  of  Schools  for  the  school  year,  19U8-U9. 

Our  children  are  our  most  treasured  possessions.  What  goes  on  in 
o\ir  children's  schools  is,  therefore,  a  matter  of  great  concern  to  all  our 
citizens  alike. 

Inasmuch  as  this  is  ray   first  year  as  Superintendent,  I  felt  that  ny 
report  should  be  functional  rather  than  statistical.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
report  should  offer  a  comprehensive,  easily  readable  survey  of  our  educational 
practices.  In  this  way  it  presents  a  lucid  and  factual  picture  of  our  activi- 
ties, for  the  information  of  all  of  our  citizens,  and  in  particular  for  the 
information  of  the  thousands  of  parents  whose  children  are  entering  our  schools 
for  the  first  time. 

I  selected  a  pictorial  type  of  report  because  I  feel,  as  did  the  old 
Chinese  philosopher,  that  a  picture  tells  more  than  a  thousand  words. 

The  plan  of  the  report  is  simple.  It  retails  in  simple  language  and 
illustration  the  story  of  our  schools  day  by  day  as  the  child  proceeds  through 
the  various  levels  from  the  kindergarten  through  the  high  school.  In  addition, 
it  explains  the  aims  and  objectives  of  the  various  agencies  of  the  school  sys- 
tem as  they  work  together  for  the  basic  aim  of  our  schools:  the  physical, 
mental,  and  moral  efficiency  and  the  worthy  citizenship  of  our  children, 

I  acknowledge  my  sincere  appreciation  to  all  the  members  of  the  pro- 
fessional staff;  particularly  to  Thomas  C.  Heffernan,  Administrative  Research 
Assistant;  Arthur  P.  Murray,  Trade  Instructor  in  photography;  and  Robert  F. 
Denvir,  Master  in  English.  The  assistance  of  all  of  my  co-workers  has  made 
possible  this  report  which  is  dedicated  to  the  cooperative  spirit  of  friendli- 
ness and  mutual  aid  which  exists  between  the  schools  and  the  homes  of  our 
great  city. 


^__ae§pect£uliy  submitted 


Superintendent  of  Public  Scbools 


Page  Three 


iOSTON    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS 


CHAIRMAN    OF    SCHOOL    COMMITTEE 
IS  BEACON   STREET,  BOSTON  8,  MASSACHUSETTS 


Dr.  Patrick  . 

CHAIRM/ 


June  15,  1919 


Dr.  Dennis  C.  Haley- 
Superintendent  of  Public  Schools 
IS   Beacon  Street 
Boston,  Massachusetts 

Dear  Dr.  Haley: 

In  accepting  the  annual  report  of  the  Superintendent 
of  Boston's  Public  Schools  for  the  school  year  19l;8-Ii9,  the 
School  Committee  wishes  to  congratulate  and  to  thank  all  who 
cooperated  in  the  production  of  this  interesting  and  effective 
volume. 

This  report  reviews  the  major  developments  during 
the  school  year  and  describes  briefly  how  the  schools  operate 
in  the  education  of  Boston's  children.  It  is  hoped  that 
through  this  report  the  citizens  of  Boston  will  have  an  opportuni- 
ty to  understand  better  the  progress,  the  meaning,  and  the 
importance  of  the  total  program  of  education  in  the  Boston 
public  schools. 

It  is  the  constant  desire  of  the  Boston  School  Committee 
to  maintain  the  high  levels  of  accomplishments  of  the  past  and  to 
use  every  effort  possible  to  increase  the  future  effectiveness  of 
our  school  program. 


truly  yours 


^anewo^d 


One  (if  tlic  THdsl  iii(('i-('stin<i;  (l('\('l()|)iiiciils  in 
m(i(l('i-ii  ('(liirntioii  is  I  he  incrcasiiin'  ]);ii-|  llial 
parciiis  aiv  Iakiii.i>-  in  (lie  I  raiiiin.i!,-  of  llicir  cliil- 
(lirn.  I'Acii  with  I  lie  licaAV  i)ur(l('ii  laid  on  llioni 
1).\  tiic  chana.in.u-  conditions  of  tli(>  atomic  i\go, 
niodiTii  parents  are  making  every  effort  to  under- 
stand and  siiare  in  the  problems  that  their  chil- 
(hi'ii  face  as  they  proi>;i(>ss  through  tiie  grades  of 
oiir  school  system. 

It  was  with  this  fact  in  mind  that  the  Super- 
intendent of  Public  Schools  instituted  the  first 
cit>-wi(le  Open  House  Night  in  the  fall  of  1948. 
The  response  was  most  gratifying.  Parents  at- 
tended in  large  numbers  everywhere  and  showed 
gr(>at  interest  in  what  was  being  done. 

As  a  further  step  in  the  direction  of  bringing 
school  and  home  closer  together,  the  number  of 
local  Home  and  School  Associations  was  increased 
and  A'isiting  days  were  established  for  each 
school. 

Keeping  in  mind  that  schools  are  maintained 
for  adults  as  well  as  children,  the  Superintendent 
of  Public  Schools  recommended  that  those  even- 
ing schools  which  had  been  closed  during  the  war 
be  reopened.  This  move  enabled  working  i)eople 
to  attend  school  in  their  own  districts. 

In  the  course  of  the  current  year  institutes 
of  better  speech  and  of  vocational  guidance  were 
established  as  })art  of  the  in-service  training 
program  to  improve  curricula  and  instruction. 
Similar  institutes  are  planned  for  the  other  areas 
of  instruction  and  administration.  In  addition, 
courses  of  study  for  all  levels  of  the  school  system 
are  being  surve.yed  with  a  view  to  the  develop- 
ment of  more  effective  teaching  in  all  of  our 
classrooms. 

Both  press  and  radio  have  been  most  coop- 
erative as  a  result  of  the  new  public  relations 
program  initiated  in  the  fall  of  1948  to  keep 
the  jniblic  informed  of  what  is  going  on  in  the 
schools.  A  i)rofessional  magazine  for  teachers 
has  also  been  introduced,  as  well  as  a  news  letter 
co\ering  activities  in  the  School  Department. 

A  well-jilanned  long-range  program  of  con- 
struction,   repair,    and    maintenance    of    school 


Ituildings  is  already  in  progress,  with  additions  to 
two  buildings  in  South  Boston  and  Jirighton,  and 
a  new  six-room  elementary  building  in  Hyde 
Park  in  jjrocess  of  construction. 

Underlying  every  effort  of  th(>  Boston  Public 
Schools  is  a  sound  philosophy  of  education.  Im- 
plicit in  this  philosophy  is  the  conviction  that  the 
future  of  American  democracy  depends  u])on  the 
maintaining  of  individual  opjiortunity,  freedom, 
and  responsibility,  and  the  fostering  of  private 
initiative  and  social  agreement.  This  ideal  i)ro- 
vides  fundamental  principles  for  the  develop- 
ment of  educational  policies  and  practices. 

As  we  move  into  the  second  half  of  the 
twentieth  century  we  shall  keep  in  mind  this 
ideal  of  democratic  education:  the  development 
of  each  child  mentally,  morally,  and  i)hysically 
to  the  utmost  of  his  capacities.  While  the  Boston 
Public  Schools  will  continue  to  stress  basic  skills 
and  habits,  they  will  nevertheless  keep  abreast  of 
the  advances  to  be  made  in  every  field  of  en- 
deavor, whether  scientific,  technical,  industrial, 
social,  or  academic,  in  order  to  meet  the  needs  of 
the  future.  Moreover,  they  will  continue  to 
adapt  the  various  curricula  to  meet  changing 
vocational  and  cultural  requirements. 

The  implications  of  the  next  quarter  of  a 
century  are  so  great  that  pupils  of  our  Boston 
schools  will  need  to  understand  a  great  deal  more 
about  themselves  and  other  i)eople  than  did  the 
children  of  a  quarter  century  ago.  Our  program 
of  study  will  make  it  possible  for  them  to  do  so 
through  the  study  of  great  leaders  and  move- 
ments in  various  fields  of  endeavor,  especially  in 
the  social  sciences  and  in  world  culture. 

Highest  tribute  should  be  paid  to  the 
teachers  and  other  employees  of  the  Boston 
Public  Schools  for  their  constant  loyalty  and 
cooperation  in  performing  this  most  difficult  task. 
Their  continued  devotion  to  the  aims  of  our 
schools  will  make  certain  the  successful  carrying 
out  of  our  program  to  help  prepare  the  boys  and 
girls  of  Boston  for  lives  of  usefulness  and  happiness 
in  the  complex  age  that  lies  ahead. 

Page  Five 


PATRICK    J       FOLEY,     D.D.S.      CHAIR^ 


DANIEL    J       MCDEVITT 


ISADORE     H.     Y.     MUCHNICK 


On<^/CuKi<^aUo4i.  o^  ike 


SCHOOL 

Patrick  J.  Foley,  D.D.8., 
Daniel  J.  McDevitt 

ISADORE    H.    Y.    MuCHNICK 


OFFICERS   OF   THE 
Dennis  C.  Haley, 

Assistant 

Michael  J.  Downey 
Frederick  J.  Gillis 
Katharine  C.   McDonnell 


Louise  Kane 
Secretary 


James  S.  Reardon 
Schoolhouse  Custodian 


SoUooi  GafKnuUee> 


COIMIMITTEE 

Chairman 

jNIichael  J.  Ward 
Joseph  C.  White 


SCHOOL  COMIMITTEE 

Superintendent 


Superintendents 

Gerald  F.  Coughlin 
D.  Leo  Daley 
Philip  J.  Bond 


Henry  J.  Smith 
Business  Manager 


Charles  B.  ^^IcINIackin 

Engineer 


ICHAEL    J.     WARD 


JOSEPH    C.     WHITE 


DENNIS     C>     HALEY.     SUPERINTENDENT 


BOARD   OF   EXAMINERS 

Ralph  M.  Corson,  Chiej  Examiner 

Charlottk  Rafter,  Examiner 


DEPARTMENTS 


Distributive  Education 

Agnes  K.  Brennan,  Director 

Elementary  Supervisors 

Theresa  R.  Flaherty,  Director 

Evening  Schools,  Day  School  for  Inunigrants,  and 

Summer  Review  Schools 

Joseph  F.  Gould,  Director 

Extended  Use  of  Public  Schools 

James  T.  Mulroy,  Director 

Fine  Arts 

C'asimir  F.  Shea,  Director 

Household  Science  and  Arts 

]\1ary  W.  Cauley,  Director 

Industrial  Arts 
Francis  J.  Emery,  Director 

Kindergarten 
Pauline  F.  Smith,  Director 


Music 
Daniel  D.  Tierney,  Jr.,  Director 

Physical  Education 
Joseph  P.  ]\IcKenney,  Director 

Practice  and  Training 

^Mercedes  E.  O'Brien,  Director 

School  Hygiene 

James  A.  Keenan,  M.D.,  Director 

School  Lunches 

Eleanor  D.  Upham,  Director 

Speech  hnprovement  Classes 

Theresa  A.  Dacey,  Director 

Special  Classes 
Helen  F.  Cummings,  Director 

Visual  and  Radio  Education 
Joseph  A.  Hennessey,  Director 


BUREAU   OF   CHILD   ACCOUNTING 

Educationcd    Investigation    and    Measurement  Jxivenile  Adjustment 


Mary  B.  Cummings,  Director 

Vocational  Guidance 

Thomas  D.  Ginn,  Director 

Employment 
Irving  O.  Scott,  Acting  Head 


Francis  J.  Daly,  Head 

Attendance 

Henry  F.  Barry,  Head  Supervisor 

Statistics  and  Publicity 
John  P.  Sullivan,  Head 


SPECIALIZED   INSTRUCTION   OR   SERVICE 

Conservation  of  Eyesight  Classes 
Regina  I.  Driscoll,  Assistant  in  Charge 


Licensed  Minors 
Timothy  F.  Regan,  Supervisor 

Lip  Reading  Classes 
]\Iabel  F.  Dunn,  Assistant  in  Chan 


Penmanship 
Marion  V.  Morrison,  Assistant  Director 


Health  Education  and  Safety  Education 
Edward  J.  Wall,  Superinsor 

Home  Instruction  to  Physiccdly  Handicapped 
Children 
Mary  H.  Stroup,  Supervisor 


Administration  Library 
Elizabeth  Burrage,  Librarian 


Page  Eight 


(leadi 


••K'oady"  is  the  woi'd  for  the  llir('(>  youn.i;- 
people  siniliii.i;-  al  you  IVoin  \\\v  cox-er  of  this 
icpott.  Tlu\\-  are  typical  Boston  liit>;Ii  school 
iiiaduates.  alei't,  poised,  skilled  i)repai'(>d  for 
\vliate\-er  life  has  in  store  fof  tluMn. 

'I'lu^sc^  same  youngsters  are  characteristic  of 
the  thousands  of  hoys  and  girls  who,  every  year, 
are  graduated  from  the  public  schools  of  Boston 
to  enter  business  and  industry;  or  to  go  on  to 
higher  institutions  of  leai'uing  to  ]H-ei)are  for 
places  in  the  professions  and  for  executive  posi- 
tions in  business  and  industry.  They  have  had 
as  much  as  13  years  of  careful,  progressive  instruc- 
tion under  the  supervision  of  the  teachers,  prin- 
cipals, headmasters,  and  directors  of  the  Boston 
Public  School  System. 

From  the  time  when  they  are  almost  babies 
to  the  day  they  graduate  from  the  high  schools, 
these  pupils  have  also  been  the  care  of  the  many 
other  services  which  supplement  the  work  of  the 
classroom  teachers  in  the  school  system,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Superintendent  of  Schools 
and  the  administration  of  the  representatives  of 
the  i:)eople,  the  School  Committee. 

These  many  agencies,  added  to  the  regular 
classroom  organization  of  the  Boston  schools, 
were  all  instituted  to  help  the  children  of  the 
city  along  the  way  to  a  richer,  fuller  life  and  a 
more  useful  place  in  the  community.  Because 
of  the  unobtrusive  way  m  which  they  work,  not 
all  of  them  are  well  known.  But  they  are  all 
working  for  one  purpose  alone  —  the  greater 
advantage  of  Boston's  school  children  and  the 
future  benefit  of  the  community  as  a  whole. 

What  are  some  of  the  various  agencies 
which  work  with  and  supplement  the  classroom 
teacher's  efforts'?  There  are  groups  of  experts 
who  direct  the  education  of  children  handicapped 
in  a  number  of  different  ways.  Other  agencies 
specialize  in  the  educational  and  emotional 
measurement  of  the  children,  to  aid  the  class- 
room teacher  better  to  understand  the  child. 
Still  others  cope  with  the  problems  of  the  mal- 
adjusted   child.     Boys    and    girls    interested    in 


indusli'ial.  coinincM'cial,  or  artistic  careers  are 
under  the  guidance  and  direction  of  skilled 
teachers  in  those  fields,  each  one  cooperating 
with  the  classroom  teacher  and  i^rincipal  to 
niak(>  certain  that  all  the  potentialities  of  the 
children  are  brought  to  complete  fruition. 

In  this  atomic  age,  so  highly  industrialized 
and  mechanized,  training  in  health  and  safety 
practices  is  an  important  consideration  in  the 
education  of  children.  The  Boston  Public  School 
System  has  facilities  to  insure  that  the  children 
of  the  city  are  given  the  best  possible  instruction 
in  these  highly  important  phases  of  modern 
living. 

Experts  in  physical  education  supervise  the 
activities  of  the  children  from  the  kmdergarten 
on  through  the  high  school.  The\'  and  our 
teachers  make  available  to  the  children  the  most 
progressive  ideas  on  personal  hygiene  and  proper 
habits  of  diet. 

One  of  the  newer  departments  is  that  of 
\'isual  and  Radio  Education,  which  brings  to  the 
aid  of  the  classroom  teacher  the  most  modern 
equipment  in  visual  and  sound  devices  to  vitalize 
instruction. 

Nor  are  the  adults  of  the  aiiy  forgotten  by 
the  Boston  School  Department.  For  them 
evening  instruction  is  provided  in  academic  and 
commercial  subjects,  in  addition  to  neighborhood 
activities  in  various  centers  of  the  city,  super- 
vised by  the  Department  of  Extended  Use  of 
Public  Schools. 

But  let  us  not  forget  our  smiling  young 
graduates  on  the  cover.  Let  us  go  back  and 
follow  them  and  their  classmates  through  the 
years  from  the  first  day  when  they  walked  a  little 
fearfully  into  their  kindergarten  room.  In  doing 
this  we  shall  perhaps  be  able  to  relive  just  a  little 
of  our  own  happj^  school  daj^s.  We  may  be  able 
also  to  see  how  much  the  Boston  Public  Schools 
have  progressed  since  those  happy,  far-off  days. 
The  schools  of  Boston  have  a  challenge  to  meet 
in  this  atomic  age,  and  they  are  prepared  to  meet 
that  challenge. 

Page  Nine 


^i^d  StefLl .  .  . 


The  most  significant  step  a  child  takes  in 
the  course  of  building  a  wholesome,  happy  per- 
sonality and  laying  the  foundation  of  good  citi- 
zenship is  the  first  one  —  the  change  from  the 
environment  of  the  home  to  the  environment  of 
the  school. 

In  the  home,  he  has  been  under  the  protection 
of  his  mother  for  most  of  his  waking  hours;  he 
has  had  the  security  which  a  mother  can  give 
under  even  the  most  trying  circumstances.  When 
he  enters  kindergarten,  however,  he  enters  a 
strange  new  world.  He  must  begin  developing  a 
social  attitude  which  will  enable  him  to  get  along 
with  his  fellows,  both  now  and  in  later  life. 

The  typical  Boston  kindergarten  helps  him 
do  this.  With  the  aid  of  skilled,  patient,  under- 
standing teachers,  using  techniques  which  are 
both  educationally  and  sociallj^  valuable  to  the 
child,  his  training  progresses  day  by  day  toward 
the  right,  happj-  attitude  necessary  for  interest 
and  success  in  school  life. 


Among  the  important  things  the  child  learns 
in  the  course  of  this  first  step  are  improved  powers 
of  observation;  a  new  sense  of  security  and  con- 
fidence in  himself  to  work  with  others;  good 
sportsmanship  and  a  democratic  attitude.  These 
are  gained  through  plaj^  and  work  with  others 
and  by  himself  as  well. 

At  the  same  time  the  child  is  improving  his 
power  to  think  clearly  and  to  reason  about  things, 
even  to  evaluate  simple  situations.  Making 
simple  objects  with  plastic  material,  clay,  and  the 
like,  the  child  learns  good  habits  and  attitudes 
toward  work;  furthermore,  if  there  are  artistic  or 
dramatic  powers  latent  in  him,  the  methods  of  the 
teacher  will  bring  them  out  in  various  ways. 

In  the  course  of  the  year,  the  pupil  will  also 
improve  his  physical  well-being.  He  will  be  able 
to  use  his  body,  his  hands,  and  his  eyes  more 
efficiently.  And  when  the  end  of  the  year  has 
come,  he  has  finished  the  first  step.  He  is  a  much 
more  capable,  poised  human  being.  He  has 
begun  his  education. 


SAY  IT  AGAIN,  CHARLES 


This  is  a  typical  scene  in  a  Boston  kindergarten.  The  boy  is  getting 
practice  in  speaking  on  his  feet,  a  valuable  asset,  which  will  help 
him  in  the  upper  years  cf  his  school  career.  Notice  the  interested 
mothers  in  the  background  near  the  teacher. 


Page  Eleven 


house    flower 


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tovs 


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Inun 


mail 


Pcunt 


01 


hoi  I 


Poostep 


ay..;- 


crayons 

trav 


CD 


inn 


Ao^  We  deed  BoJii  . . . 


Tli(>  little  cliildrcn  who,  a  year  ago,  came  to 
kiiulergarten  IkuxIIv  knowing-  what  to  expect 
are  now  ready  for  the  hrst  grade.  The>'  have 
learned  to  j)lay  and  work  with  each  other  with- 
out friction.  They  can  solve  simple  problems 
and  have  formed  habits  and  attained  skills  which 
will  help  them  to  learn  reading,  writing,  arith- 
metic. In  a  word,  they  are  ready  for  elementary 
school. 

The  elementar.y  school  of  today  is  a  far 
different  place  from  the  institution  which  is 
fondly  remembered  as  the  school  where  the  three 
R's  were  learned.  The  implications  of  a  scientific 
age,  overshadowed  by  advances  in  atomic  energy, 
must  necessarily  require  a  much  more  complex 
type  of  education  even  at  the  elementary  stage. 

The  modern  elementary  school,  such  as  ours 
in  Boston,  teaches  not  only  the  three  R's,  but 


literature,'^ history,  health  training,  and  geog- 
raphy; and  nature  study  as  an  introduction  to 
the  sciences;  music,  household  arts,  and  the  be- 
ginnings of  industrial  arts.  Children  are  even 
released  from  school  for  religious  education  when 
it  is  desired. 

Nor  is  the  individuality  of  the  child  neg- 
lected. He  is  tested  from  time  to  time  to  make 
certain  he  is  doing  what  he  should  be  doing 
as  well  as  he  can.  Testing  may  show  that  the 
child  is  slow  in  learning  or  even  exceptionally 
brilliant.  He  may  have  physical  or  mental  handi- 
caps. When  such  condition  is  determined,  the 
child  is  placed  in  a  class  where  he  can  make  the 
most  progress  with  the  ability  or  skill  he  possesses. 
If  testing  shows  that  the  child  has  improved, 
he  may  be  reclassified  at  any  time. 


VOWELS  ARE   EASY 

These  children  in  a  Boston  elementary  school  are  learning  to  read 
by  means  of  cards.  Cards  containing  words  which  have  similar 
sounds  aid  the  child  in  learning  and  putting  words  together.  Note 
the  large  charts  on  the  wall  containing  various  vowel  combina- 
tions. 


Page  Thirteen 


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At  this  i)oint  it  may  be  well  to  consider  some 
of  the  \ital  adjuncts  to  the  classroom  work  which 
enable  the  classroom  teacher  to  give  every  child 
the  opportunity  to  develop  himself  and  to  pro- 
i>;r(\<!s  toward  his  goal  —  a  rich,  full  life  —  wdth 
a  niininiuni  of  emotional  upset. 

In  the  cotu'se  of  the  school  yeai-,  many 
specialists  are  at  work  in  the  Boston  Public 
Schools,  cooperating  with  teachers  and  prmcipals 
—  all  with  one  goal  in  mind ;  namely,  the  greatest 
l)ossible  development  of  each  child.  At  the 
Ijeginning  of  the  year,  for  example,  the  child 
meets  the  school  doctor  and  the  nurse.  Later, 
he  takes  tests  under  the  guidance  of  experts  from 
the  Department  of  Educational  Investigation 
and  ]\Ieasurement.  These  tests  aid  the  teacher 
in  understanding  both  the  intellectual  and  the 
emotional  equipment  of  the  child.  From  time 
to  time,  the  child  will  see  directors  of  depart- 


ments such  as  Physical  Education,  Penmanshi]), 
Eye  Conservation,  as  well  as  other  directors  and 
supervisors  who  come  into  the  schools  to  consult 
with  and  assist  teachers,  always  with  the  better- 
ment of  the  child  in  mind. 

Other  services  which  are  a  part  of  our  school 
system  include:  classes  for  handicapped  children, 
Americanization  classes  for  pupils  who  are  not 
citizens,  classes  in  music  and  art,  and  classes  in 
health  and  safety  education.  Supervisors  in  these 
special  fields  likewise  enter  classes  and  confer 
with  teachers  on  various  methods  to  improve  the 
curriculum  and  the  standard  of  teaching. 

All  these  agencies,  together  with  the  class- 
room teacher,  are  working  every  minute  to 
improve  the  chances  of  every  child  in  the  schools 
to  grow  up  to  a  richer,  fuller  life,  and  to  become  a 
valuable  American  citizen. 


THIS   IS  THE  WAY  IT  GOES 

^  Teacher:;  and  supervisors  stand  ready  at  all  times  to  aid  with  the 
problems  of  the  young  student.  Here  the  teacher  guides  the  hand 
of  the  little  girl  through  a  difficult  movement. 


Page    Fifteen 


p 


Qaod  cMandAAJi^lUnij,  16.  Vital 


Good  handwriting  has  always  been  con- 
sidei'od  a  business  as  well  as  a  social  asset.  Pkrly 
in  Boston  histoiy,  writing  schools  were  estab- 
lishetl  for  llic  education  of  the  young,  and  Boston 
has  since  then  taken  pride  in  tlie  good  hand- 
writing of  its  children. 

For  this  reason,  a  si)ecial  Penmanship  De- 
partment functions  for  the  purpose  of  supervising 
the  handwriting  of  pupils  throughout  the  Boston 
school  system.  The  special  aim  of  the  Penman- 
sliip  De]mrtment  is  to  teach  pupils  to  write  legibly 
with  a  reasonable  degree  of  ease  and  fluency. 
The  department  assists  the  grade  teachers  in 
developing  a  technique  in  penmanship  that  will 
establish  specific  writing  habits  to  enable  pupils 
to  show  a  greater  degree  of  achievement. 

Good  writing  is  the  result  of  being  able  to 
follow  certain  rules,  just  as  accuracy  in  English 
or  arithmetic  is  developed  from  following  rules. 
The  rules  of  i^enmanship  are  few;  their  objectives 
are   to   ha\-e   the   same   slant   for  all  letters,  to 


leave  enough  space  between  letters,  to  main- 
tain imiform  size  for  all  capital  as  well  as  lower 
case  letters,  to  have  the  correct  shape  for  each 
letter,  and  finally  to  develop  a  reasonable  rate  of 
Sliced  to  insure  fluency. 

In  the  course  of  the  current  year  about  500 
visits  were  made  by  the  dejjartment,  chiefly  to 
junior  high  schools.  Demonstration  lessons  were 
given  to  classes  visited.  In  addition,  four  classes 
in  penmanship  were  given  at  the  Teachers  Col- 
lege to  certify  prospective  teachers  and  to  pre- 
sent the  methods  used  to  teach  penmanship 
in  our  schools.  Sixty-eight  Teachers  College 
students  were  qualified  to  teach  penmanship. 

Certificates  for  excellence  in  penmanship 
were  awarded  to  3,197  pupils  in  Grade  VIII. 
Two  teachers  already  in  service  were  certified  to 
teach  penmanship.  To  be  certified,  teachers  must 
be  qualified  in  penmanship  and  give  a  demonstra- 
tion lesson. 


A  BOLD  FLOWING  HAND 

This  elementary  school  boy  Is  working  hard  at  his  penmanship.  His 
-^  teacher  has  impressed  on  him  that  good  penmanship  will  be  impor- 
tant to  him  in  whatever  he  undertakes.  In  a  few  years  he  will  get 
a  certificate  for  his  handwriting  to  show  his  competency  in  the 
subject. 


Page  Seventeen 


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^ei^Vi^  (le4JLeall  Man4f.  "^UlntfA. 


The  Department  of  Educational  Investiga- 
tion and  INIeasurement  was  introduced  into  tlie 
Boston  School  System  in  1914.  Its  jirincipal 
functions  are  to  assist  teachers  in  the  various 
schools  to  know  the  cliild  as  an  individual,  to 
discover  his  particular  needs  and  abilities,  to 
indicate  how  he  may  remedy  his  deficiencies,  and 
to  help  him  achieve  his  place  in  life  by  utilizing 
his  capabilities  to  the  utmost. 

To  carry  out  these  objectives,  the  depart- 
ment each  year  measures  the  children  from  the 
first  grade  up  through  the  high  school.  Achieve- 
ment tests  measure  skills  and  information  learned 
either  in  the  course  of  study  or  from  experiences 
elsewhere.  Aptitude  tests  are  given  to  predict 
future  success  in  occupational  fields.  Psycholog- 
ical tests  are  designed  to  diagnose  behavior. 


To  supplement  this  work,  various  indixidual 
tests  are  made  from  time  to  time  at  the  re(}uest 
of  principals  or  teachers.  Group  Intelligence 
Tests  are  given  in  Grades  I,  IV,  VI,  and  \\\\, 
as  well  as  in  the  senior  high  schools. 

The  department  also  works  hand  in  hand 
with  the  various  school  agencies  which  need  its 
particular  services.  In  addition  to  these  tasks, 
the  department  is  called  on  for  help  by  other 
agencies.  Some  of  these  outside  the  school  sys- 
tem itself  include  the  Judge  Baker  Guidance 
Center,  the  New  England  Home  for  Little  Wan- 
derers, and  others.  From  time  to  time,  the  State 
Parole  Board  and  various  probation  officers  have 
made  use  of  departmental  materials. 

The  work  of  this  department  is  carried  on  by 
a  director  and  six  research  assistants. 


READ  THE  INSTRUCTIONS 

^    This  young  lady  is  preparing  to  talie  one  of  the  many  tests  admin- 
^     istered  eoch  year  to  school  children  from  the  first  grade  through 
the  high  school.    These  tests,  scientifically  built,  aid  the  teacher  in 
understanding  the  varied  capabilities  of  the  children. 


Page  Nineteen 


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^^Afoft  ^oUt  Aai  Jlloe,  Lf  fi^ad  Alane 


An  act  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature 
authorizing  tlio  absence  of  children  from  pubHc 
schools  at  cei'taiii  times  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
ligious instruction,  and  prohibiting  the  ex])endi- 
ture  of  public  funds  for  such  education  or  for 
transportation  incidental  thereto,  was  ap])i'o\ed 
on  June  30,  1941. 

In  1942,  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  this 
law,  the  School  Committee  of  the  City  of  Boston 
set  up  a  Weekday  Religious  Education  Com- 
mittee made  up  of  re])resentatives  of  the  A'arious 
faiths.  Hearty  cooperation  of  all  concerned  has 
made  the  Boston  Weekday  Religious  Education 
Program  an  outstanding  success. 

Children  are  released  from  school  to  attend 
religious  instruction  at  the  written  request  of  the 
parent  or  guardian,  who  designates  the  church  to 
which  the  child  shall  go  for  instruction.  For 
those  children  whose  parents  do  not  request  their 
dismissal,  programs  are  arranged  in  the  school. 
Such  programs  include  makeup  w^ork,  assemblies, 
library  work,  guidance,  recreational  reading,  and 
the  like. 

The  qualifications  of  the  religious  teachers 
are  left  to  the  responsibility  of  the  individual 
faith,  as  is  the  curriculum  of  religious  instruction. 

During  the  past  year,  23,064  pupils  from  70 
districts  throughout  the  city  took  part  in  this 
program.     For  Grades  W ,  \ ,  and  W,  the  pro- 


gram is  city-wide.  A  few  districts  do  not  par- 
ticipate because  of  distance  from  the  church  or 
inability  of  the  church  group  to  provide  the  in- 
struction. Twelve  junior  high  schools  and  six 
elementary  districts  with  junior  high  school  grades 
participate. 

Religious  denominations  which  have  taken 
part  in  this  program  include:  Albanian  Orthodox, 
Armenian  Orthodox,  Roman  Catholic,  Christian 
Science,  Episcopal,  Full  Gospel  Assembly,  Greek 
Orthodox,  Jewish,  Lutheran,  Salvation  Army, 
and  Syrian  Orthodox. 

The  marks  for  work  in  religious  education 
are  not  recorded  by  the  Boston  Public  Schools. 
A  report  of  the  attendance  of  the  child  at  religious 
education  classes  is  made  to  the  principal  of  the 
school  involved,  and  any  child  who  drops  out  of 
either  the  school  class  or  the  religious  education 
class  is  reported  at  once  to  the  other.  The  church 
groups  are  responsible  for  the  disciplme  of  the 
children  on  the  way  to  the  church,  during  the 
instruction,  and  on  the  way  back  to  the  school. 

When  religious  education  is  canceled  for  any 
reason,  the  child  remains  in  school.  Dismissal 
for  religious  education  is  not  permitted  if  the 
jilace  of  instruction  is  more  than  ten  minutes' 
walk,  unless  transportation  is  provided  by  the 
particular  group  concerned. 


ALL  FAITHS 

These  youngsters  are  on  the  way  to  a  class  in  religious  education 
conducted  by  teachers  of  their  several  faiths,  in  a  place  desig- 
nated by  the  faith  leaders.  Approximately  a  dozen  faiths  conduct 
classes  for  public  school  children  during  school  hours,  but  not  it) 
school   buildings. 


Page  Twenty-i 


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By  the  time  a  child  reaches  the  junior  high 
school,  he  has  reached  the  age  wlien  he  wants  to 
begin  making  things.  He  begins  to  exhibit 
preferences  of  one  kind  or  another.  One  boy 
iiia>-  want  to  work  with  his  hands;  another  may 
l)ref(>r  academic  work.  It  is  the  particular 
function  of  the  junior  high  scliool  to  provide 
these  pupils  with  a  course  of  study  rich  enough 
to  enable  them  to  find  out  for  themselves  their 
abilities,  aptitudes,  and  tastes. 

Exploratory  courses  in  vocational  fields  are 
offered  by  the  junior  high  schools  to  help  pupils 
try  out  their  capabilities  with  a  view  to  helping 
in  the  selection  of  their  life  work.  The  pupil 
gets  a  great  deal  of  guidance  in  the  choice  of 
studies  and  vocational  interests. 


Naturally,  careful  consideration  is  given  to 
the  individual  differences  of  the  pupil.  Wherever 
possible,  the  work  of  each  pupil  in  the  junior  high 
school  is  adapted  to  his  particular  needs,  whether 
he  plans  to  prepare  for  college,  commercial  work, 
or  any  one  of  the  many  technical  and  industrial 
fields  open  to  the  modern  high  school  graduate. 

The  methods  of  teaching  used  in  the  junior 
high  school  are  adapted  to  the  aims  of  the  courses 
and  are  based  on  the  fact  that  the  students  are 
not  merely  preparing  for  usefulness  in  the  future 
but  are  already  participating  in  the  life  of  the 
community.  By  the  time  the  pupil  has  finished 
the  junior  high  school,  he  usually  has  an  idea  of 
what  he  wishes  to  study  in  senior  high  school,  and 
at  the  same  time  has  some  notion  of  the  type  of 
work  he  will  pursue  as  an  adult. 


SCHOOL'S  OUT 

These  boys  and  girls  are  typical  of  the  pupils  who  attend  the  junior 
■^     high  schools  of  Boston.    In  these  schools  they  pursue  a  course  of 
study  to  prepare  them  to  select  a  high  school  program  in  line  with 
their  tastes  and  aptitudes. 


Page   Twenty-three 


^ifei>l<f,lit  id.  P^ecianA.  . 


In  the  course  of  the  rcoulai'  scliool  work 
tVoiii  the  kiiulcrfiartt'ii  on,  certain  cliiUlrcn  are 
(lisco\-ere(l  to  have  eye  diffieulties  which  cannot 
1)(>  coi'rected  and  ini|)rov(>(l  with  ordinary  treat- 
ment. The  averafi;e  vision  of  ])U])ils  of  this  type 
is  about  20  70.      (20  20  is  perfect.) 

In  oi'der  to  ])i<'\'ent  these  children  from 
aggra\ating  their  tiefective  eyesight,  as  might 
\-ery  well  hapjien  under  ordinary  classroom  con- 
ditions, the  Boston  Public  Schools  maintain 
conservation  of  eyesight  classes.  The  purpose  of 
these  classes  is  to  conserve  the  vision  of  children 
for  whom  a  normal  education  would  be  impossible 
without  the  special  educational  means  suited  to 
their  needs. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  15  conserva- 
tion of  eyesight  classes  in  the  Boston  Public 
Schools.  They  are  located  in  different  sections  of 
the  city.  Each  class  serves  as  a  center  for  pupils 
in  the  immediate  and  neighboring  districts. 

There  are  two  types  of  classes.  In  the  first 
tyjje,  the  segregated  class,  the  children  remain  in 
one  room  and  receive  all  their  instruction  from 
the  game  teacher.  In  the  other,  or  cooperative 
tyi^e,    children    attend    regular    classes    in    social 


studies,  music,  shopwork,  and  science,  and  return 
to  the  sjiecial  teacher  for  study  which  requires 
close  eye  attention.  Classes  of  this  kind  are 
usually  limited  to  12  pupils.  In  addition,  in 
September,  1948,  a  class  was  opened  for  children 
having  a  double  handicap:  poor  vision  and  an 
intelligence  rating  between  75  and  80.  The 
normal  rating  is  90  to  100.  As  a  further  aid, 
touch  typewriting  is  being  taught  in  all  classes 
on  bulletin  typewriters.  These  are  machines  with 
unusually  large  letters. 

Planned  use  of  the  radio  in  connection  with 
educational  programs  broadcast  by  Station  WBZ 
has  l^een  of  great  value  in  addition  to  serving  as  a 
jieriod  of  eye  rest.  Furthermore,  this  year  three 
junior  high  school  classes  were  given  talking  books 
l)y  the  Lions  Club  of  Boston.  These  machines 
have  been  of  great  help  in  English  classes,  as  the 
number  of  books  printed  in  large  type  and  avail- 
able to  junior  high  school  pupils  is  limited. 

Two  conservation  of  eyesight  classes  this 
year  took  part  in  radio  broadcasts.  One  told  the 
story  of  eyesight  conservation;  the  other  partici- 
pated in  a  safety  program. 


BIG  PRINT  IS  EASY  TO  READ 

This  young  lady  is  working  with  one  of  the  books  especially  printed 
for  pupils  with  eye  difficulties.  The  print  in  this  book  is  unusually 
large  and  can  be  read  by  pupils  without  any  particular  strain. 
This  type  of  work  enables  pupils  to  keep  up  with  their  studies, 
which  they   could   not  do   if  they   had   to   use   ordinary   text   books. 


Page  Twenty-five 


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Jleti  *7^^  it  tItU  1/Ua4f 


Naturally,  in  any  lafiic  scliodl  systoiii  liko 
Boston's,  some  rliiidrcn  arc  louiid  to  be  liandi- 
eai)iKHl  l)y  various  kinds  of  speech  defects. 
Before  the  estabHshnient  of  the  si)eech  imjirove- 
ment  classes  in  1912,  many  of  tlu^se  |)u])ils  were 
woefully  incapable  of  carrying  on  their  regular 
school  work.  As  a  result,  many  of  them  became 
disci])linary  cases;  others,  emotionally  upset  by 
their  inability  to  carry  on  with  their  classmates, 
became  discouraged  and  left  school  without 
adetjuate  iM-eparation  to  find  their  proper  place  in 
the  adult  conmumity. 

^^'ith  the  introduction  of  speech  classes 
taught  liy  teachers  trained  in  the  special  tech- 
ni([ues  of  this  basic  work,  children  every  year  are 
l:)eing  aided  to  overcome  their  speech  difficulties 
and  at  the  same  time  to  improve  their  thought 
processes.     It  should  lie  noted,  in  jiassing,  that 


the  Boston  Public  Schools  are  nationally  recog- 
nized for  their  pioneering  in  this  field. 

It  is  well  known  by  psychologists  that  speech 
difficulties  seriously  interfere  with  proper  mental 
functioning.  ( 'onseciuently ,  the  Boston  School 
Department  is  making  every  effort  to  get  children 
with  speech  difficulties  into  classes  at  an  early 
age,  because  the  younger  they  are,  the  more 
likely  they  are  to  respond  to  treatment. 

Sometimes  a  child  may  develop  a  speech 
difficulty  after  he  has  been  in  school  some  time. 
When  the  difficulty  is  recognized,  he  is  imme- 
diately assigned  to  a  class.  In  this  way,  children 
from  the  first  through  the  twelfth  grades  have  the 
opportunity  to  attend  speech  classes  and  thus  to 
improve  their  speech  quality,  to  increase  their 
power  in  reading,  .spelling,  and  conversation,  as 
well  as  to  develop  personality  and  initiative. 


LISTEN  WHILE   I   SAY  IT 


This  Boston  teacher  is  working  with  pupils  who  have  speech  handi- 
caps of  one  kind  or  aroiher.  She  is  speaking  into  a  recording 
machine  which  will  register  her  voice  and  play  it  back.  Later,  the 
students  will  hear  what  they  have  said  and  will  compare  their 
speech  with  that  of  the  teacher. 


Page    Twenty-seven 


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Watclt  Mif  4Zace 


111  tlic  course  of  tlie  progressina,-  of  cliildi-cn 
tliroiijih  tlio  grades  n  mimher  of  pupils  with 
liearing  (liHiculti(\s  are  encountered.  Naturally, 
tliey  ai-e  liaiulicapiwMl  in  learninti-  with  a  normal 
class.  Tlie  ner\()us  tension  of  trying  to  hear 
takes  its  toll  of  the  cliild.  In  order  to  arouse 
interest  and  attention  in  school  and  outside 
activities  and  restore  to  the  pupil  the  ability  to 
understand  speech,  the  Boston  School  Depart- 
ment has  provided  sjiecial  groups  known  as  lij) 
reading  classes. 

Each  hard-of-hearing  jiupil  is  an  indi\'idual 
problem  and  is  given  special  help  for  his  dis- 
ability. Puiiils  are  assigned  to  classes  according 
to  their  grade  and  lip  reading  ability.  The  work 
in  these  classes  is  correlated  with  the  course  of 
study.  Scholarship  records  are  kept,  to  follow 
the  progress  of  the  pupil  in  his  classroom,  and 
A-oice  and  speech  corrections  are  made  when 
neces.sarv. 


For  the  convenience  of  these  handicai:)ped 
children,  lip  reading  centers  are  located  in  eight 
different  schools  throughout  the  city.  In  addi- 
tion, primary  children  are  taught  in  26  different 
schools,  and  there  were  also  classes  held  this 
year  at  the  English  High  School  and  the  Black- 
stone  Junior  High  School. 

In  these  li])  reading  classes,  children  are 
taught  to  imderstand  spoken  language  by  watch- 
ing the  face  of  the  speaker.  The  child  is  trained 
to  use  his  eyes  to  help  his  ears.  This  method  is 
followed  by  the  use  of  hearing  aids.  The  majority 
of  children  with  hearing  handicaps  are  potentially 
normal,  and  if  found  early  enough  and  acleciuately 
treated,  can  overcome  their  handicap.  Many 
hard-of-hearing  pupils  have  risen  above  their 
handicaps  to  achieve  success  in  the  professions  as 
well  as  domg  well  in  business. 

The  lip  reading  teachers  also  work  with 
pupils  referred  by  hospital  clinics  and  l)y  the 
Boston  Guild  for  the  Hard  of  Hearing. 


WATCH  MY  LIPS 

This  instructor  is  working  with  children  who  are  hard  of  hearing. 
She  is  telling  them  what  she  will  say  to  them  after  they  have  taken 
off  the  hearing  aids.  In  this  way,  she  familiarizes  them  with  the 
movement  of  the  lips  and  with  facial  expression  patterns. 


Page   Twenty- 


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We  Studif  in  f^ed,  taa 


Diirin.ii  llic  period  of  ;i  child's  school  life, 
illness  oi-  accident  may  make  it  necessary  for  him 
either  to  i(>main  in  bed  at  home  or  ,<;-o  to  the 
hospital.  He  may  l)e  sufferinji,-  from  tlie  effects 
of  riunnnatic  fever,  infantile  paralysis,  or  from 
some  other  of  the  more  than  seventy  diseas(\s 
prevalent  among-  cluklren  which  will  kee))  him 
out  of  the  classroom  for  a  pei-iod  of  more  than 
two  months. 

^^'hen  a  child  is  thus  handicapped  for  a  long- 
period  of  time,  it  is  the  practice  of  the  school 
principal  to  call  in  the  Department  of  Home 
Instruction  for  Physically  Handicapped  Children. 
The  aim  of  this  department  of  the  Boston  Public 
Schools  is  to  provide  individual  instruction  for 
such  children  as  may  be  confined  to  their  homes 
or  a  hospital.  This  instruction,  based  upon  the 
regular  program,  helps  the  child  keep  uj)  with  his 
classmates  in  school  and,  in  a  number  of  cases,  to 


graduate  with  them.  From  time  to  time,  the 
teacher  reports  on  the  progress  of  the  child  and 
the  results  are  duly  entered  on  his  school  record. 

In  addition,  the  department  works  with 
social  agencies,  schools  outside  the  City  of  Boston, 
parochial  schools,  and  hosjiitals.  These  services 
result  annually  in  the  promotion  or  graduation  of 
some  800  to  900  pupils  whose  schooling  would 
otherwise  have  been  delayed,  and  whose  con- 
valescence might  also  have  been  retarded  because, 
in  many  cases,  convalescence  is  retarded  by  the 
child's  fear  that  he  may  fall  behind  his  classmates. 

Under  the  circumstances,  these  children 
cannot  take  such  subjects  as  art,  cooking,  sewing, 
and  the  like.  However,  where  diploma  points  are 
involved,  volunteers  from  the  Massachusetts 
School  of  Art,  Simmons  and  Radcliffe  Colleges 
have  gone  directly  to  the  homes  or  hospitals  to 
help  the  children. 


BEGIN  AT  THE  TOP 

Many  children  are  hurt  during  the  school  year  and  have  to  go  to 
■^     the  hospital.    This  little  girl  is  being  taught  by  an  instructor  pro- 
vided by  the  Boston  School  Department  to  help  her  !(eep  up  with 
her  classmates. 


Page  Thirty-one 


L  ^ 


^Ue^ie>  H  a  Plcux>  jjO^  Cojen4f>ane 


As  in  the  case  of  the  child  wlio  has  speech 
difficulties,  there  naturally  will  be  found  in  large, 
unassorted  groups  of  children,  certain  individuals 
who  an^  mentally  retarded.  The  intelligent 
teacher  will  discover  this  tendency  early  in  the 
school  history  of  the  child.  The  Boston  Public 
Schools  recognized  the  responsibility  of  the  com- 
munity for  the  mentally  retarded  child  by  estab- 
hshing  classes  for  him  as  long  ago  as  1898. 

Like  the  maladjusted  child  and  the  child 
with  speech  difficulties,  the  mentally  retarded 
child  reciuires  special  handling.  The  Department 
of  Special  Classes  oversees  the  education  of  this 
type  of  child.  The  aim  of  this  department  is  to 
teach  the  child  how  to  use  to  best  advantage  the 
power  that  he  has,  and  thus  to  become  a  useful 
member  of  the  community  and  to  live  a  happy 
life. 

Tlie  i)upil  is  given  various  tests  to  determine 
the  type  and  quality  of  work  he  is  capable  of 
doing.  Special  attention  is  given  to  teaching 
the  child  habits  and  attitudes  which  will  be 
necessary  for  his  normal  living  in  an  adult  ttorld. 

In  the  junior  high  school  the  child  recites 
in  the  regular  classroom  with  his  teacher.  In 
other  activities  such  as  the  vocational  shops, 
sewing,  cooking,  woodworkmg,  and  the  like, 
pupils  work  with  the  regular  classes.  They  also 
attend  gym  classes  and  take  part  in  various 
school  contests. 


Four  centers  in  various  parts  of  the  city 
direct  the  care  and  teaching  of  children  of  high 
school  age  who  cannot  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
normal  class.  In  addition,  four  classes  for  chil- 
dren with  low  intelligence  ratings  have  been  in 
existence  for  the  past  three  years;  a  fifth  one 
has  just  been  established  for  children  whose 
parents  cannot  travel  with  them  to  any  of  the 
other  four  centers. 

Special  guidance  work  is  carried  on  with 
these  children  to  enable  them  to  find  a  place 
where  they  may  become  self-sufficient  and  self- 
supporting  as  well.  Follow-up  workers  of  the 
Special  Class  Department  help  them  to  find  jobs. 

At  the  present  time  pupils  trained  in 
Boston's  Special  Classes  are  doing  restaurant 
work  as  bus  boys  and  girls,  dishwashers,  and 
counter  employees.  Stores  employ  them  as  order 
boys,  stock  boys,  bundle  girls,  and  salesgirls. 
Hospitals  have  found  use  for  many  of  them  in 
various  categories.  Factories,  hotels,  garages, 
etc.,  also  offer  jobs  which  these  individuals  fill 
adequately. 

This  year  a  course  in  tailoring  was  intro- 
duced into  two  of  the  Special  Class  centers.  It 
is  planned  to  expand  these  classes  later  to  train 
boys  for  the  clothing  trades.  These  children  are 
also  given  a  regular  course  in  physical  education 
and  health,  especially  for  the  improvement  of 
posture  and  the  development  of  good  health 
habits. 


PLANTING  NARCISSI 

.    These   boys   are    members   of   a   special    class    learning    about   the 
■^     planting    of   flower   bulbs.     They    also    engage    in    other    activities 
which   help   equip  them  to   meet  the   normal   social   and   economic 
problems  of  adult  life. 


Page  Thirty-three 


^ 


tJ^ealtU  II  9*np.o^ta4^t 


To  watch  ()\cr  I  lie  lioallli  of  (he  scliool 
cliildrcn.  their  tcachci's,  and  othcf  scliool  pcr- 
somicl,  th(>  lioston  I'uhlic  Scliools  have  the  very 
iinpoi-tant  Deparliiicnt  of  School  Hygiene. 
Woi'kini;  undei-  the  director  of  this  dei)a.rtnient 
are  55  re,t>;ular  school  i)liy.sicians,  59  nurses,  a 
medical  inspector,  a  sanitary  engineer,  and  a 
.sui)ervisor  of  nutrition.  Also,  the  Department 
of  School  Hygiene  has  both  an  eye  and  an  ear 
specialist.  Tliese  two  outstanding  ])hysicians 
work  conscientiously  witli  l)oys  and  girls  with 
serious  eye  or  ear  defects. 

The  department  functions  to  lessen,  limit, 
or  eliminate  ])hysical  defects  of  school  children 
that  might  interfere  with  their  ethicational 
development.  It  also  supervises  and  controls 
the  sanitation,  ventilation,  illumination,  room 
temjjei'ature,  humidity,  and  ])hysical  environ- 
ment of  school  buildings.  Another  important 
(hity  is  to  supervise  and  control  health  education. 


A  further  responsibility  of  this  department 
is  1()  cooperate  in  the  admission  of  pupils  to 
classes  for  conservation  of  eyesight,  for  lip  read- 
ing, and  for  speech  improvement.  The  depart- 
ment also  gives  i^hysical  examinations.  X-ray 
examinations  to  discover  tuberculosis,  and  audi- 
ometer tests  for  children  suspected  of  being  hard 
of  hearing.  It  provides  classroom  teachers  with 
the  eciuipment  to  test  sight  and  hearing. 

A  valuable  feature  of  the  department  is  its 
coopei'ation  with  hospitals  and  clinics  for  the 
correction  of  i)hysical  defects.  School  niu'ses 
visit  homes  to  advi.se  i^arents  of  a  child's  con- 
dition and  to  check  for  correction  of  defects. 
The  (lei)artment  minimizes  the  occurrence  of 
communicable  diseases  l)y  keei)ing  a  sharj)  watch 
on  the  health  of  school  children.  A  keen  eye  is 
kept  on  the  condition  of  children's  teeth,  and 
l)upils  with  dental  defects  are  given  opportunities 
to  attend  clinics  where  thev  mav  be  treated. 


PRESS   DOWN   HARD 

This  is  a  typical  scene  in  the  doctor's  office  of  a  Boston  school. 
^  Children  are  c:iamined  periodically.  Changes  in  height,  weight, 
and  other  items  are  carefully  noted  on  the  child's  health  card. 
E=aulty  eyesight  and  hearing  as  well  as  dental  deficiencies  are 
called  to  the  attention  of  the  parents. 


Page  Thirty-five 


ipni 


Scufjetif.  H  i^ijien^ifMadifi.  >^^d^Vieii 


The  Boston  School  Department  has  a  safety 
education  iirogram  recognized  as  outstanding  in 
the  United  States.  The  purpose  of  safety  edu- 
cation is  to  inculcate  lifelong  habits  of  care  in  the 
l)upil  so  that  he  may  guard  against  the  ever 
present  threats  to  life  and  limb  and  never  en- 
danger his  own  or  his  companions'  safety  by  any 
thoughtless  act. 

From  the  earliest  kindergarten  classes  to  the 
final  day  of  graduation,  the  ideal  of  safe  living  is 
a  jirimary  objective  in  the  education  of  our  more 
than  90,000  boys  and  girls. 

In  each  school  buildmg,  a  safety  counselor  is 
assigned  to  promote  and  coordinate  safety  activi- 
ties within  his  school  building.  Cooperating  with 
the  safetA^  counselors,  a  corps  of  fire  counselors, 
one  in  each  building,  is  charged  with  definite  obli- 
gations in  carrying  out  fire  drill  regulations  and 
fire  prevention  procedures.  Qualified  first  aiders 
have  been  provided,  pupil  safety  patrols  are 
directed  by  more  than  150  teacher-patrol  super- 
visors, and  a  safety  council,  representing  every 
section  of  the  city,  acts  as  an  advisory  and  liaison 
group. 

The  schools  work  constantly  with  the  Police 
Department,  the  Fire  Department,  the  Traffic 
Commission,  the  Registry  of  Motor  Vehicles,  and 
other   iDublic   agencies   interested   in   safety.     In 


cooperation  with  the  Ml  Safety  Car  of  the  Police 
Deimrtment,  traflSc  safety  programs  are  held. 
\\'(M>kly  liroadcasts  prepared  by  teachers  and 
])upils  have  been  aired  for  many  years. 

The  Police  Department  provides  traffic  cov- 
erage at  and  near  school  crossings.  A  lieutenant- 
inspector  of  the  Fire  Prevention  Division  of  the 
Boston  Fire  Department  is  assigned  to  visit 
ever\'  Boston  school. 

Every  accident  involving  a  pupil  or  staff 
member  of  the  school  department  is  reported. 
Provision  is  made  for  emergency  treatment  of 
accident  cases  in  each  school  building,  and  suit- 
able procedure  for  home  contact,  dismissal,  re- 
ferral, escort,  and  follow-up  are  maintained. 

Safety  calendars  and  seasonal  safety  bulletins 
stress  occupational  and  recreational  hazards  and 
the  i^'oper  means  of  i)reventing  injury. 

Manuals  on  safety  patrols,  proper  bicycle 
operation,  fire  drill  procedure,  water  hazards,  and 
dangers  in  the  garden  are  made  available,  as  are 
inspection  blanks  for  elimination  of  fire  hazards 
in  addition  to  clean-up  bulletins;  coasting,  skat- 
ing, and  vacation  bulletins;  and  shop  safety 
Inilletins  for  both  boys  and  girls. 

Driver  education  courses  for  high  school 
students  are  an  increasingly  popular  feature  of 
the  safety  program  of  the  Boston  Public  Schools. 


WAIT  FOR  THE  SIGNAL 

This  young   man  is  one  of  many  pupil  traffic  officers  who   aid  the 
■^     regular    police    at    school    entrances    throughout    the    city.     He    is 
trained  in  traffic  problems  under  the  Boston   Public  School  Safety 
Education  Program. 


Page  Thirty-seven 


^^cM'e^  Pnice  il  j^a/i  a/naae  duLlel'' 


Tlic  art  of  the  lioiiuMiiakcr  is  an  ancient  and 
lioiioraltk"  one.      In  the  Old  Testament,  tli(>  %oo(\ 
honieniaker  is  tle.scrihed  in  the  foiiowinfi;  words: 
"Siie  looketh  well  to  the  ways  of  her 
household  and 
Eateth  not  the  bread  of  idleness 
Her  price  is  far  above  rubies." 
A    good    homemaker    should    create    in    the 
home  an  atmosj^here  spiritually  uphfting  and  ar- 
tistically satisfying.     The  very  important  task  of 
teaching  young  girls   to   become  homemakers  is 
the  (hity  of  the  Dejiartment  of  Household  Science 
and  Arts.     This  department  of  the  Boston  Public 
Schools  aims  to  train   j^upils  in  industry,  thrift, 
and  forbearance,  all  of  which  conti-ibute  to  family 
unity  and  democratic  ideals. 

As  a  lesult  of  the  training  received  from  this 
de|)artment,  girls  learn  to  develo))  habits  of  neat- 
ness, accurac\-,  safetv,  self-reliance,  and   svstem- 


atic  procedures.  Besides  these  things,  the  girls 
in  household  science  classes  learn  techni(|ues  in 
homemaking  and  the  construction  of  clothing,  as 
well  as  technifjues  for  other  jihases  of  homemak- 
ing which  follow  naturally  in  adult  life. 

In  this  world  of  high  prices,  it  sliould  l)i'  the 
aim  of  every  homemaker  to  handle  the  family 
finances  with  knowledge  and  skill.  These  attri- 
butes, also,  the  department  teaches  the  girls  of 
the  Boston  Public  Schools  and  jirovitles,  in  addi- 
tion, training  in  cooking,  sewing,  and  child  care. 
A  further  aim  of  this  type  of  training  is  the  pro- 
motion of  creative  leadershij)  in  home  and  com- 
munity life. 

Outside  the  regular  work  of  the  classes,  the 
Department  of  Household  Science  and  Arts  works 
hand  in  hand  with  the  Red  Cross  and  plays  a 
large  part  in  the  success  of  the  Boston  Home  and 
School  Association  meetings. 


THIS  IS  OUR  OWN  WORK 


The   dresses  that  these   girls   ore   modeling   were   made   in   sewing 
■^     classes  in  our  Boston  Public  Schools.    Each  girl  is  wearing  the  dress 
she  mode  herselt.    Opportunities  for  this  type  of  work  are  avail- 
able to  school  children  from  the  fourth  grade  on. 


Page  Thirty-nine 


tf%  I '   m\ 


&t4 


Milk  liuddi  ShaMXf.  ladled. 


Thi-outili  a  sulisidy  of  one  cent  a  bottle 
liianlcd  by  the  Federal  (ioverniiient,  Boston 
school  children  are  able  to  buy  milk  under  the 
market  i^rice.  This  arrangement  is  called  the 
bow  Cost  Alilk  Program. 

Milk  is  one  of  the  i)rincii)al  items  served  in 
our  Boston  Pul)lic  Schools  cafeterias.  With  the 
introduction  of  the  one-session  elementary  school 
l)ro.siram,  instituted  in  January  of  this  year,  the 
percentage  of  ])upils  jnu-chasing  milk  increased 
from  39. ()  i)er  cent  to  48.7  pei'  cent.  In  January, 
1941),  the  average  daily  purchase  of  milk  in  229 


schools  was  44,L57  bottles.  Even  with  tliis  figure, 
it  is  aiii)arent  that  many  children  bring  either 
milk  or  hot  cocoa  with  their  home-packed  lunch. 
Installation  of  new  equipment  has  improved 
the  work  in  several  cafeterias  this  year,  but  there 
is  still  need  of  better  etiuipment  for  disliwashing 
and  food  i)rei)aration  in  many  schools,  and  it  is 
hoped  tliat  each  year  improvements  will  be  made 
in  this  direction.  In  addition  to  the  improve- 
ments noted,  cafeterias  have  been  suiii)lied  with 
educational  ]K)sters  emphasizing  the  importance 
of  good  nutrition  in  maintaining  sound  health. 


IT  TASTES  GOOD 

^  These  youngsters  are  enjoying  their  lunchtime  bottle  of  milk  pur- 
chased under  the  low  cost  milk  program,  which  enables  them  to 
buy  the  milk  under  the  market  price. 


Page  Forty-one 


^ 

'^^MH|^Hm|^  ^^^^fe^  -       J 

-m^^ 

iL  wt'  ^^liMW 

^  \m 

fe/j 

^H         A 

yk 

pT .  <  1  ^^^A^^ 

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4 


">.  ii. 


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d    < 


Qaad  JlH^^cUed.  Make  Qaad  PufUll 


One  of  the  very  important  fnnctions  of  the 
Boston  School  Department  is  to  see  to  it  that  the 
children  have  proper  luncheons  while  they  are  in 
school.  This  particular  jirogram  is  the  concern 
of  the  Department  of  School  Lunches. 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  department  to  serve 
liiiihly  nutritious  huiches  at  the  lowest  possible 
cost  so  that  many  children  may  benefit  by  our 
school  feeding  program.  The  department  is  also 
responsilile  for  the  maintainmg  of  cafeteria 
kitchens  ui)on  the  highest  sanitary  standards. 

Cafeterias  have  continued  to  serve  the  com- 
plete meal,  the  pattern  for  which  was  established 
b}-  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 


in  1943.  The  meal  contains  one  third  to  one  half 
of  the  daily  nutritional  requirements  of  the  boy  or 
girl. 

Many  foods  purchased  by  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  of  the  United  States  under  the  Na- 
tional School  Lunch  Act  were  provided  free  of 
charge  during  the  past  year  in  the  ^•arious  lunch- 
rooms of  the  schools  and  aided  materially  in 
maintaining  the  policy  of  this  department  to 
serve  meals  with  high  nutritional  value. 

In  addition  to  getting  actual  work  experience, 
student  helpers  in  the  various  cafeterias  are 
furnished  free  meals.  In  the  current  year  these 
meals  had  a  total  value  of  $12,875.75. 


LUNCH  TIME,  A  WELCOME   INTERLUDE 

This  scene  in  a  Boston  school  cafeteria  is  characteristic  of  the 
^  many  school  cafeterias  located  throughout  the  city.  Note  the  at- 
tractive display  of  the  foods  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the 
Department  of  School  Lunches.  In  most  of  the  lunchrooms,  attend- 
ants are  assisted  by  pupils  who  get  free  lunches  for  their  services. 


Page  Forty-threa 


9t^  ^un  ia  Ae  <Jtealtkif.  . 


Ill  keei)ing  with  the  philosoi)hy  of  education 
which  recosiiiizes  the  need  of  physical  as  well  as 
iiitcnectual  and  moral  devclopniciit,  pui)ils  in  the 
i^oston  Public  Schools  arc  offered  courses  in 
l)h,\sical  education  from  the  kindergarten  through 
the  hitih  school.  In  genei'al,  the  program  pro- 
\id(>s  for  ^•igor()Us  normal  growth  through  a  wide 
lange  of  activities  including  fre(>  and  individual 
|)lay,    ganu^s   and    sports,    dancing,    and    military 


Through  the  medium  of  their  various  activi- 
ties, children  learn  cooperation,  social  sensitivity, 
leadershij:),  and  the  sense  of  belonging  to  the 
group.  Also,  they  learn  to  develoj)  interest,  joy, 
and  satisfaction  in  sports,  games,  and  other 
wholesome  recreational  activities  which  they  will 
emi)loy  in  adult  life  for  the  ];)roper  use  of  leisure 
time. 


In  the  Boston  Public  Elementary  Schools 
si)ecial  attention  is  given  to  the  develojiment  of 
good  posture.  Last  March,  for  examj^le,  the 
second  week  of  the  month  was  designated  as 
"(Jood  Posture  Week."  This  excellent  innova- 
tion brought  great  ijrofit  to  the  children. 

The  junior  high  school  program  includes 
gymnastic  exercises,  marching,  dancing,  games, 
and  remedial  techniciues  for  posture.  In  addi- 
tion, an  after-school  program  of  games  and  sports 
is  offered  to  both  boys  and  girls  under  the  direc- 
tion of  play  teachers. 

In  the  high  schools,  i^hysical  education  offers 
girls  a  schedule  of  supervised  free  play,  exercises, 
marching,  dancing,  and  posture-improvement 
exercises.  In  general,  the  high  schools  offer  three 
periods  a  week  in  physical  education,  and  the 
junior   high    schools   offer   two    periods. 


ROUND  AND  ROUND  WE  GO 

This  picture   shows  elementary   school  children  engaged  in  a   mass 
■^     demonstration    ot    physical    education    dances    for    the    purpose    of 
developing  good  posture.    Note  the  interested  parents  in  the  back- 
ground.   The  teacher  in  the  foreground   is  directing  the   activity. 


Page  Forty-five 


11 H  .H  !V  il  ii 


CamfteiUlcfje  Spjon.t  ^eaoked^  ^emocn.ac4f  .  .  . 


For  lioys  ii:  the  Boston  Public  High  Schools, 
ih(>  Dc^partnient  of  Physical  Education  offers  a 
prosi'rani  which  progresses  naturally  from  the 
junior  liigli  school  level.  This  program  is  sup- 
plemented by  extensi\'e  after-school  athletic 
activities  to  reach  the  objective  of  complete 
pliysical  and  mental  development  of  all  pupils, 
liecently,  through  the  George  Robert  White 
Fund,  a  sclioolboy  stadium  has  been  completed. 
Designefl  to  provide  the  best  possible  facilities 
for  several  competitive  sports,  this  new  Boston 
stadium  has  alread.y  been  described  as  the  most 
complete  and  attractive  scholastic  athletic  center 
in  the  United  States. 

Athletic  contests  at  all  levels  are  under  the 
direction  of  competent  officials  and  coaches,  and 
a  doctor  is  present  at  all  times. 

Military  science  is  a  reciuired  subject  for 
boys  in  Grades  IX  through  XII,  unless  they  are 


excused  by  a  doctor  for  physical  disability.  One 
period  is  for  military  drill;  the  other,  for  instruc- 
tion in  some  phase  of  military  tactics  or  pro- 
cedure. Annual  prize  drills  are  held  in  the 
various  schools  during  May  and  June.  From 
this  competition,  officers  are  chosen  to  head  the 
regiments  and  battalions  in  the  annual  schoolboy 
parade  which,  this  year,  was  held  on  June  6,  1949. 
The  several  schools  provide  their  own  music  in 
the  form  of  bands  and  drum  and  bugle  corps 
instructed  by  the  Department  of  Music. 

The  Department  of  Physical  Education  also 
supervises  the  operation  of  playgrounds  in  the 
spring  and  summer  months.  To  assure  the 
greatest  efficiency  in  conducting  plaj-ground 
activities,  the  department  holds  an  annual  Play- 
ground Institute  at  the  Teachers  College,  to 
instruct  the  more  than  300  playground  leaders  in 
new  techniques. 


AROUND  THE  END 

This  picture  shows  the  annual  classic  football  game  between  the 
Boston  Latin  School  and  English  High  School  teams.  This  is  the 
oldest  schoolboy  football  series  in  the  country.  All  Boston  Public 
Schools  athletic  contests  are  directed  by  the  Department  of  Physi- 
cal Education. 


Page   Forty-seven 


■B— ■— pi    I  i > m  .1*  -^  r       0    I   f^^T" 


J^cua  l4Je'^  in  cMlcfA  ScUoal 


si\o    and    xaricd    cmIi 
both    the    individual 
llu'  city's  children, 
tiiffcrcncos  in  in(clli_<>,( 
avocational    inteirsts 


Boston's  liiii'li  schools  provide  n  ('oni|)rehen- 
;itional  i)roj2;rain  to  meet 
id  tlie  ooniinon  needs  of 
idividual  needs  arise  from 
•c,  aptitudes,  personal  and 
emotional  stability,  and 
ph.ysical  health.  Common  needs  include  good 
health,  ethical  values,  a  knowledge  of  good 
citizenship,  sound  thinking,  the  ability  to  earn  a 
living,  an  awareness  of  economic  conditions,  and 
an  appreciation  of  the  spiritual  and  material 
characteristics  of  American  civilization. 

The  22  high  schools  of  the  city's  school 
sj'stem  offer  many  kinds  of  courses,  including 
college  prejiaration,  a  special  Teachers  College 
course,  commercial  and  industrial  training  for 
both  boys  and  girls,  and  a  general  course. 

Individual  differences  are  provided  for  by  a 
wide  selection  of  electives  in  the  various  courses 
of  study;  recjuired  subjects  meet  the  common 
needs  of  all  pupils.  Different  methods  of  instruc- 
tion and  materials,  as  well  as  varied  forms  of 
achievement,  are  employed  in  the  several  courses 
of  studj%  which  are  adapted  in  so  far  as  is  possible 
to  the  individual  differences  of  the  pupils.  At 
present  every  high  school  course  is  being  sur- 
veyed with  a  view  to  the  clearer  defining  of 
minimum  essentials. 

In  social  study  classes  this  year  the  struggle 
between  government  by  compulsion,  as  exem- 
plified by  totalitarianism,  and  government  by 
consent,  as  exemjilified  by  democracy,  has  been 
carefidly  explained  in   view  of  the  world   situa- 


tion. The  testing  program  in  ail  sul),jects  has 
also  been  enlarged  and  broadened  in  scope.  In 
the  speech  improvement  classes  new  techniques 
\\2,\Q  been  introduced  with  great  success.  A 
new  course  in  meteorology  ai)d  navigation  has 
been  made  available  to  seniors  in  advanced 
mathematics. 

Other  features  of  Boston's  high  school  ])ro- 
gram  include  the  sponsoring  of  various  groups 
such  as  dramatic,  English,  photographic,  journal- 
ism, forum,  foreign  language,  science  and  mathe- 
matics, chess  and  checkers,  and  Red  Cross  clubs. 
Most  of  these  organizations  do  their  work  out- 
side of  school  hours  and  so  are  included  in  the 
extracurricular  activities. 

A  large  number  of  scholarshii)s  and  financial 
aid  grants  are  available  to  i)upils  in  the  various 
high  schools.  For  every  outstanding  student, 
the  headmaster  and  the  School  Committee  try 
to  find  some  endowment  or  scholarship  to  assist 
such  a  worthy  indi\N'dual  in  securing  a  higher 
education. 

It  is  gratifying  to  add  that  Boston's  high 
schools  have  earned  the  highest  rating  by  impar- 
tial authorities,  and  that  the  products  of  these 
secondary  schools  are  continuing  to  make  excel- 
lent records  in  higher  institutions  of  learning  as 
well  as  in  the  business  world.  One  evidence  of 
such  gratifying  results  is  that  annually  many  of 
the  high  school  boys  and  girls  of  the  city  are 
inducted  into  membership  in  various  chapters  of 
the  National  Honor  Society  of  the  Secondary 
Schools  of  the  United  States. 


ENTER  TO  GROW  IN  WISDOM 

^  This  is  a  typical  Boston  Public  High  School  building  where  both 
boys  and  girls  study.  Boston  also  has  several  all  boys  and  all  girls 
schools  in  various  parts  of  the  city. 


Page    Forty-nine 


Wlud  Wdl  Be  %  Place  in  tU  WoM.  ?. 


Tho  ideal  of  education  is  that  eaeli  eliild 
should  {^-entually  lind  a  |)lace  for  himself  in  the 
woild,  in  aecordanee  with  his  ambitions  and 
abilities.  To  help  make  this  ideal  a  reality,  the 
Hoston  Public  Schools  early  recognized  the  need 
foi-  individual  guidance  of  children  and  so  estab- 
hshed  the  Department  of  Vocational  Guidance  in 
1!)10. 

In  the  first  years  of  school,  the  child  receives 
eilucational  guidance  from  his  classroom  teachers. 
As  the  child  progresses,  he  begins  to  meet  more 
complex  educational  and  vocational  problems. 
Thus  the  guidance  needs  of  the  elementary  school 
child  are  very  difTerent  from  those  of  the  high 
school  pupil. 

The  heart  of  the  guidance  program  is  indi- 
\idual  counseling.  In  general,  boys  and  girls 
like  to  talk  over  their  jiroblems  with  older  people. 
If  the  older  i)erson  is  a  trained,  sympathetic 
counselor,  the  problem  is  much  more  easily 
handled.  Guided  by  scientific  tests  and  data  on 
the  intellectual  and  emotional  ciualities  of  the 
child,  the  counselor  may  help  solve  problems 
which  would  be  impossible  for  the  child  to  solve 
by  himself. 

The  problems  w'hich  beset  high  school  pupils 
especially  are  not  entirely  those  of  the  classroom 
or  even  the  choice  of  a  vocation.  Frequently  the 
counselor  is  of  help  when  environmental  problems 
are  encountered. 


At  present  full-time  counselors  are  on  duty 
in  every  high  school.  Last  year  in  senicjr  iiigh 
schools  of  the  city  56,316  interviews  were  con- 
ducted by  counselors.  These  interviews  helped 
to  ])revent  failures  and  the  conseciuent  costly 
repetition  of  grades.  They  also  acted  as  morale 
builders,  because  the  counselor's  work  obviously 
makes  for  better  relations  between  pupils  and 
teachers  as  well  as  between  home  and  school. 

Considerable  guidance  work  is  also  done  in 
our  junior  high  schools,  although  not  on  so 
extensive  a  basis  as  in  senior  high  schools,  for 
evident  reasons.  In  this  connection,  a  15-hour 
course  on  junior  high  school  guidance  was  offered 
this  year  at  the  Teachers  College  to  teachers  in 
service. 

One  of  the  duties  of  the  Dei)artment  of 
Vocational  Guidance  is  to  aid  graduates  of  our 
schools  to  find  positions  commensurate  with  their 
ambitions  and  abilities.  At  present  jobs  are 
scarcer.  However,  the  members  of  the  staff  are 
making  every  effort  to  find  work  for  our  grad- 
uates. They  are  making  personal  appeals  to 
employers  by  telephone  and  letter  as  well  as  by 
interviews.  Total  permanent  placements  for  the 
year  1948  reached  1,922;  temporary  placements 
were  1,345;  part-time  placements  were  1,987. 

Members  of  the  staff  are  now  working  on  the 
one-year  follow-up  study  of  the  graduating  class 
of  1948.  This  study,  made  annually,  is  of  con- 
siderable assistance  to  counselors  in  their  adA^sing 
of  prospective  graduates. 


YOU  CAN  DO  IT 

The  young  man  in  this  picture,  a  Boston  Public  Schools  graduate, 
^  Is  talking  with  a  Vocational  Guidance  Counselor  about  a  position 
to  which  the  Guidance  Counselor  is  sending  him  after  making  a 
study  of  his  qualifications.  The  chart  behind  the  counselor  shows 
the  various  courses  of  study  offered  by  the  Boston  Public  Schools. 


Page  Fifty-one 


/ 


^ 


^  y    ^ 


We  GAje  tUe  MuUc  Mah^eM  .  . 


Love  of  music  is  almost  universal  among  the 
young  as  well  as  the  old.  In  recognition  of  tliis 
interest,  music  was  introduced  into  the  course  of 
stud}'  in  the  Boston  Public  Schools  verj'  early  in 
their  history.  The  child  begins  his  study  of 
music  in  the  kindergarten  or  first  grade  and 
continues  it  througli  the  high  school.  Music 
instruction  is  also  given  at  the  Teachers  College. 

Professional  instructors  in  music  are  avail- 
able for  children  in  every  branch  of  music  study, 
both  instrumental  and  choral.  Class  lessons  on 
musical  instruments  are  offered  as  early  as  the 
foiu-th  grade  and  are  continued  through  the  high 
school.  Tlie  Boston  Public  School  Symphony 
Orchestra  and  Symphony  Band  offer  an  outlet 
for  pupils  who  are  particularly  proficient.  These 
advanced  groups,  drawn  from  the  whole  school 
system,  rehearse  after  school  hours  in  centrally 
located  schools.  During  the  year  each  of  the 
symi)liony  groups  gives  at  least  one  concert  at 
Joi-dan  Hall.  Other  outlets  for  musically  inclined 
children  are  the  school  orchestras,  bands,  and 
glee  clubs  at  elementary,  junior  high,  and  senior 
high  school  levels. 


Vocal  nuisic  is  com])ulsory  in  Grades  I  to  IX 
and  is  an  elective  for  i)upils  in  Grades  X  to 
XII. 

The  Department  of  Music  also  cooperates 
with  tlie  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra  by  arrang- 
ing for  ])upils  to  attend  its  concerts  and  by  pre- 
l)aring  a  special  chorus  of  school  children  to  sing 
at  one  of  the  Youth  Concerts.  It  cooperates  with 
A'cterans'  organizations  by  supplying  bands  and 
drum  corps  for  parades  and  other  military 
cei-emonies.  It  also  contributes  talent  for  Home 
and  Scliool  Association  meetings,  conventions, 
and  the  like. 

In  general,  the  music  curriculum  aims  to 
enrich  tlie  child's  life  through  contact  with  the 
best  in  music,  and  thus  to  inculcate  ideals  that 
will  serve  as  guides  to  personal  and  social  growth. 
It  further  aims  to  impart  knowledge  and  develoj) 
skills  that  will  enable  the  child  to  take  ])art  in 
musical  activities.  Another  worth-while  aim  of 
this  curi'iculum  is  to  increase  a  desire  for  good 
music  and  a  distaste  for  poor  music. 


ALL  TOGETHER  NOW 

These  boys  are  members  of  on  instrumental  class,  a  number  of 
which  are  held  in  Boston  schools  under  the  direction  of  the  De- 
partment of  Music.  Choral  Music  is  also  a  feature  of  the  course 
of  study.  Some  of  these  students  will  play  in  the  Boston  Public 
Schools  Symphony  Orchestra,  which  performs  annually  at  Jordan 
Hall. 


Page  Fifty-three 


f 


#5 


V 


■^'- 


* 


^ 


/I^t  II  jjO^  CuLen4f.I^<idif, 


III  marked  contrast  to  tlio  past,  today's  art 
(Hlueators  tVel  that  "Art  is  for  Everybody." 
K\en  in  tlu^  elementar.y  schools  the  emphasis  is 
phiccd  on  developing  the  creative  talent  of  the 
cliild.  The  young  child  loves  to  create  and  takes 
great  delight  in  the  opportunity  to  illustrate  both 
his  school  and  home  experiences.  Encouraged 
by  the  teacher,  this  creative  instinct  increases  in 
power  and  the  child's  work  begins  to  show  imagi- 
nation, enterprise,  and  originality. 

The  accomplishments  of  the  art  students  in 
the  Boston  Public  Schools  indicate  excellent 
teaching  and  a  thoroughly  planned  course  of 
study.  In  the  junior  and  senior  high  schools,  art 
education  is  under  the  direction  of  special  art 
teachers  who  carry  on  the  work  begun  in  the 
elementary  schools.  In  addition,  the  course  em- 
phasizes art  as  an  appreciation  study,  the  way  art 
affects  other  life  situations,  its  use  in  everyday 
life,  and  its  place  in  the  community. 

A  number  of  talented  pupils  from  our  high 
schools  attend  art  classes  at  the  Boston  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts  three  times  a  week  during  the  school 
year.  The  City  of  Boston  pays  for  the  instruc- 
tion and  furnishes  the  art  material  used.  The 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  provides  the  students  with 
work  rooms.  It  is  of  distinct  advantage  to 
students  to  be  able  to  work  in  the  environment  of 
great  artists,  both  past  and  present. 

Children  of  Grades  V  through  IX  are  afforded 
an    opportunity   for   special    training   in    art    on 


Saturday  mornings  at  the  Institute  of  Contem- 
porary Art.  This  complements  the  work  done 
at  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  for  the  older  children. 

The  art  work  of  the  Boston  Public  School 
children  was  exhibited  this  year  at  the  Eastern  Arts 
Convention  at  the  Hotel  Statler  and  at  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Regional  Scholastic  Arts  Awards 
Exhibit.  Two  hundred  gold  keys  were  awarded 
to  students  exhibiting,  and  the  winning  work  was 
sent  to  Carnegie  Institute,  Pittsburgh,  for  final 
judging. 

To  stimulate  further  interest  in  art,  the 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  sponsors  an  essay  contest 
each  year,  open  to  students  in  English,  history, 
and  art  classes  of  our  junior  and  senior  high 
schools.  Boston  and  Cambridge  museums  also 
sponsor  treasure  hunts  to  encourage  students  to 
visit  the  exhibits  and  to  search  for  and  draw, 
paint,  or  model  some  object  which  appeals  to 
them. 

Another  activity  in  which  the  art  classes  of 
the  schools  engage  with  great  enthusiasm  is  the 
Junior  Red  Cross  program.  Boston  pupils  also 
provided  and  distributed  various  objects  made  in 
art  classes  to  hospitalized  veterans  and  children. 
Braille  book  covers  were  made  for  the  blind. 

The  importance  of  art  education  as  basic  in 
all  schools  is  generally  recognized  by  educators 
todaj'.  In  this  connection  it  is  gratifying  to 
note  that  a  course  in  art  has  recently  been  in- 
troduced in  the  Girls'  Latin  School. 


YOUNG  BOSTON  LOOKS  AT  ANCIENT 
EGYPT 

These  girls  are  art  students  in  the  Boston  Public  Schools.  By  ar- 
rangement with  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  a  number  of  our  students 
attend  classes  there  three  times  a  week. 


Page  Fifty-five 


SUa^fL  Cif&l  OH^d  Skilled  <Jtand6. 


Tlir  Citv  ol'  I^ostdii  Ikis  always  been  famous 
1(11-  tli('jii,ii,('iiuity  of  its  people  and  for  their  fine 
woik  ill  industry.  Ami  since  Boston  lias  always 
lieeii  a  nation-\vid(>  leader  in  industry,  it  is  only 
littiiiii'  that  the  School  Department  devote  a 
iicnerous  part  of  its  hudj^ct  to  the  teacliins;'  of 
wiiat  is  known  today  as  industrial  arts. 

Training  in  industrial  arts  is  a  jihase  of  the 
genei'al  education  program  which  orients  in- 
dividuals in  the  technical  industrial  aspects  of 
lil'(>  in  a  democratic  society.  It  is  apparent  that 
the  continuance  of  our  present  way  of  life  depends 
in  givat  i)art  on  the  maintenance^  of  industrial 
progress.  Scientihc  and  technical  knowledge  is 
h(Mng  applied  so  rapidly  and  so  widely  that  it  is 
difficult  to  say  what  new  products  we  may  enjoy 
in  the  future.  It  is  likewise  obvious  that  some 
of  the  pupils  in  our  schools,  presumably  the  ones 
who  are  so  inclined,  must  be  prepared  to  take 
their  places  as  proficient  workers  in  industrj-. 
It  is  the  duty  of  the  Department  of  Industrial 
Arts  to  carry  on  the  training  of  these  pupils. 

Industrial  arts  training  begins  in  the  ele- 
mentary school  at  the  Grade  W  level.  Here 
pui)ils  begin  with  simple  mechanical  drawing  and 
box  making.  In  Grade  V,  the  boy  learns  simple 
bookbinding  and  makes  calendars,  photo  frames, 
and  book  covers.  The  goal  in  both  of  these 
grades  is  good  work  habits  and  control  for  skill. 

In  Grade  AT,  boys  are  at  the  age  when  nor- 
mally they  want  to  build  things.  At  this  point, 
woodworking  is  introduced.  This  is  the  first  of 
the  exploratory  courses  in  which  boys  interested 
in  working  with  their  hands  have  the  opportunit.y 
to  investigate  their  preferences  and  aptitudes  for 
^■arious  types  of  work. 

In  the  junior  high  school,  particularly  in 
Grades  VH  and  VHI,  the  boy  will  meet  other 
exploratory  courses  in  sheet  metal,  printing,  and 
electricity,  as  well  as  more  woodworking.  These 
activities  present  a  challenge  to  the  growing,  in- 
telligent boy.  ^Moreover,  they  provide  a  wider 
field  for  knowledge,  more  related  work,  and  the 


development  of  greater  skill  with  moi'e  difficult 
work  standards.  It  is  in  tliese  shops  that  the 
boy  who  is  preparing  for  vocational  trahiing 
learns  what  he  can  best  do,  and  so  is  able  to  make 
a  wiser  choice  of  a  Grade  IX  shop.  Here  he  will 
test  himself  still  further  to  make  certain  that  he 
is  making  the  correct  and  intelligent  selection. 

During  the  school  year  just  completed,  shop 
classes  in  Grades  VII,  VIII,  and  IX  increased 
their  enrollment  by  10  per  cent.  In  the  high 
schools,  shop-pupil  enrollment  remained  about 
the  same  in  the  cooperative-industrial  courses 
despite  the  fact  that  placements  "on  the  job" 
were  more  difficult  to  maintain  than  last  year. 
In  this  type  of  shop  the  boy  goes  to  school  for 
l^art  of  the  time  and  for  the  remainder  of  the  time 
works  in  an  industrial  shop  where  he  receives 
payment  for  his  work.  Usually,  the  boy  is  in 
school  one  week  and  m  the  sho])  a  week  at  a 
time.  This  >'ear  the  number  of  boys  emi)lo.yed 
averaged  about  90  \)^x  cent  of  all  possible  ])Iace- 
ments. 

Another  phase  of  the  industrial  arts  program 
is  the  teaching  of  agriculture  at  the  Jamaica  Plam 
High  School.  This  year  the  number  of  pupils 
electing  such  training  mcreased  about  30  i>er 
cent.  During  the  summer  many  of  these  boys 
were  placed  on  farms,  in  dairies,  or  in  garden 
work.  Many  more  pupils  worked  on  home  and 
school  gardens. 

The  important  function  of  training  teachers 
for  the  industrial  arts  courses  is  now  a  part  of  the 
program  at  The  Teachers  College  of  the  City  of 
Boston.  Academic  studies  are  pursued  at  the 
college  building  under  direction  of  the  college 
faculty.  The  shop  work  is  done  at  the  Parkman 
School  under  the  skilled  eyes  of  teacher-trades- 
men. Furthermore,  in  accordance  with  the  wish 
of  the  Superintendent  to  improve  instruction  and 
curricula,  members  of  the  department  are  ad- 
dressed at  regular  intervals  by  the  Director,  with 
a  view  to  the  mamtaining  of  the  highest  ])ossible 
efficiency  in  the  use  of  progressive  techniciues. 


A  FUTURE  CABINET  MAKER 

This  young  man  is  studying  carpentry  and  cabinet  making  in  a  co- 
^  operative  sliop  ot  the  Boston  Public  Schools.  Although  he  is  learn- 
ing  an  ancient  art,  he  hos  all  the  modern  equipment  at  his  disposal. 
Notice  the  rocks  of  modern  tools  behind  him.  Bench  work  forms  a 
major  part  of  the  program. 


Page  Fifty-seven 


^ 

"S 


^Jie  that  cMatk  a  ^n^ade  cMatU  an  ^'Ucde'^  . 


In  addition  lo  I  lie  coopcrat  ixc  industrial 
courses  s;i\("ii  in  the  \arious  liij;ii  schools  of  the 
city,  I5oston  has  trade  lus.-h  scliools  for  both  l)()ys 
and  girls. 

At  tlie  Trade  High  School  for  Boys,  courses 
in  the  following  tratles  are  offered:  airplane  serv- 
ice, autonioliile  mechanics,  cabinet  making,  car- 
l^entry,  drafting,  electrical  work,  machine  shop 
l)ractiee,  painting  and  decorating,  welding  and 
forging,  pluinlting,  i)i'inting,  radio,  and  sheet 
metal  work. 

The  course  of  study  includes  the  ordinary 
academic  subjects  as  well.  Instruction  in  both 
academic  ami  technical  branches  is  of  a  specific 
character  antl  is  designed  to  increase  the  indi- 
vidual's vocational  and  civic  efficiency. 

On  graduation  the  Trade  High  School  i)U])il 
has  an  oi)portunity  for  i)lacement  in  industry  at 
the  same  trade  for  which  he  was  i)repared. 

The  Trade  High  School  for  (Jirls  offers  two- 
and  three-year  courses  in  catering,  to  train  i)upils 


for  employment  in  food  preparation  and  service; 
commercial  art;  dressmaking;  dress  designing 
and  pattern  drafting;  and  millinery.  Girls  wdio 
complete  the  dressmaking '  course  may  receive 
training  in  tailoring  and  fur  work.  Another 
favorite  course  is  that  which  prepares  girls  to 
work  in  beauty  shops  after  they  have  passed  the 
examination  given  by  the  State  Registration 
Board. 

In  addition,  part-time  cooi}erative  courses  in 
tailoring  and  in  food  trades  are  offered  to  bo3's 
who  have  reached  their  sixteenth  birthday.  Sixty 
per  cent  of  the  pupil's  time  is  devoted  to  definite 
vocational  training  on  a  productive  shop  basis. 
20  per  cent  is  given  over  to  related  technical  in- 
struction such  as  shop  mathematics  and  shop 
science,  and  20  per  cent  is  devoted  to  general 
education  —  English,  history,  citizenship,  and 
similar  subjects.  There  is  also  a  program  in 
physical  education. 


NEW  HAIRDO 

■^  This  young  lady  is  working  on  one  of  her  fellow  students  in  the 
class  at  Trade  High  School  for  Girls  which  prepares  girls  to  work 
in  beauty  shops. 


Page  Fifty-nine 


Ii  i    I  i 


.^m 


^- — i 


J 


KM:M 


^onU  Jiaak  at  Uie  ICetfl 


It  is  only  iKit 
ity  like  Hoston 
ilucatioii.     There 


inl  that  a  leadin^t;-  eonuiKM'eial 
lioiild  emphasize  coinmereial 
;ii'e   inaii\'    ijositions   available 


to  high  school  graduates  skilled  in  the  techniques 
of  office  and  business  practice.  Each  year  the 
leading  commercial  houses  in  Boston,  such  as 
hanks,  insurance  companies,  and  shipping  com- 
jianies,  absorb  into  their  organizations  many 
Boston  Public  High  School  graduates. 

The  commercial  course  in  the  high  schools  of 
the  City  of  Boston  aims  to  develop  skill  in  the 
techniciue  and  the  mechanical  details  of  each 
special  subject.  Furthermore,  it  correlates  the 
special  subject  with  others  in  the  curriculum,  as 
well  as  broadening  the  scope  of  civic  responsibilit}- 
and  social  relationships  and  inculcating  high 
ideals  of  service. 


Subjects  offered  in  the  commercial  course 
in  all  district  high  schools  as  well  as  in  two  large 
central  high  schools  include  bookkeeping,  com- 
mercial geography,  commercial  law,  office  prac- 
tice, shorthand,  typewriting,  English,  physical 
education,  a  foreign  language,  and  penmanship. 
In  addition,  the  Boston  Clerical  School  and  the 
High  School  of  Commerce  provide  highly  special- 
ized training  to  prepare  for  careers  in  business. 

Pupils  taking  the  college  courses  in  various 
schools  are  finding  it  profitable  to  take  typing  if 
they  can  fit  it  into  their  programs.  More  and 
more  college  instructors  are  demanding  that 
weekly  and  term  papers  be  typewritten;  hence 
even  a  single  year  of  typing  is  of  great  advantage 
to  a  girl  or  boy  when  he  or  she  gets  to  college. 


THE  BASIC  OFFICE  MACHINE 

These  young  Igdies  are  practising  typing  in  a  class  in  one  of  our 
■^     Boston   Public  High  Schools.    More  and  more,  even  boys  and  girls 
who   are   going   to    college   are   taking   typewriting    as    an    aid   to 
faster,  more  legible  communication. 


Page   Sixty-i 


•  f  s 


.v^k 


We  lea^it  to-  Sell .  .  . 


One  (if  the  distinctive  si'ivic(>s  dfiVrcd  l)y  tlie 
Boston  Public  ScliooLs  to  its  pupils  is  the  course 
called  cooperative  retailing.  In  this  course, 
I)U])ils  are  taught  the  fundamentals  of  ri^tail 
selling  and  get  practical  experience  in  sho])s  and 
stores  on  part-time  jobs.  This  year  135  seniors, 
an  increase  of  44  over  the  previous  year,  took  the 
course.  All  those  who  completed  the  i)rogram 
and  who  wished  full-time  work  are  now  working. 

During  the  past  year  this  course  was  given 
at  the  following  high  schools:  Dorchester  High 
School-  for  Girls,  East  Boston  High  School, 
Jamaica  Plain  High  School,  Practical  Arts  High 
School,  and  Roxbury  ^Memorial  High  School  for 
Girls.  The  course  is  administered  in  such  a  way 
that  the  City  of  Boston  is  reimbursed  for  the  cost 
of  the  program  by  the  Federal  Government. 

Applications  for  the  course  for  the  school 
year  of  1949-50  indicate  that  a  larger  number  of 
jnii^ils  wish  to  take  the  course  in  order  to  make 
themselves  eligible  for  the  jiart-time  jobs  avail- 
able through  the  program.  It  should  be  pointed 
out  that  these  part-time  jobs  are  decreasing  in 
number  as  a  result  of  the  present  trend  m  business. 

General  Salesmaxship  Program 

In  addition  to  the  cooperative  program,  a 
general  course  in  salesmanship  is  taught  in   15 


schools.  This  year  1,451  juniors  and  seniors 
were  enrolled  in  23  classes.  Fr(jm  these  classes 
769  ])Ui)ils  worked  in  39  stores  during  the  i)re- 
Christmas  season.  Beginning  in  the  fall  (jf  this 
3'ear  the  City  of  Boston  will  be  reimbiu-sed  for 
pre-Ghristmas  training  given  Boston  pupils  in 
general  salesmanship  classes.  This  plan  has  re- 
sulted from  a  formula  worked  out  by  tlie  Director 
of  Distributive  Education  in  cooperation  with 
the  State  Supervisor  of  Distributive  Education. 

An  additional  feature  of  this  distributive 
education  program  is  the  training  of  adults  for 
positions  as  store  supervisors  and  department 
heads.  Although  the  stores  have  acce]:)ted  the 
new  arrangement  of  material  favorably,  the  pro- 
gram has  been  hampered  by  the  lack  of  trained 
part-time  instructors. 

During  the  year  a  committee  from  the  per- 
sonnel group  of  the  Retail  Trade  Board  coo])erated 
with  our  schools  to  obtain  surplus  materials  from 
stores  to  be  used  in  teaching  salesmanship.  Dis- 
play forms,  fabric  samples,  training  manuals, 
surplus  record  forms,  and  the  like  were  collected 
and  turned  OAcr  to  the  schools.  This  t}'pe  of 
material  helps  make  class  work  much  more 
dynamic   and   realistic. 


AND  WHAT   IS   YOUR   ADDRESS? 

The  young  lady  behind  the  counter  is  a  salesgirl  educated  by  the 
Boston  Public  Schools  in  its  courses  in  Distributive  Education.  In 
addition  to  her  regular  classroom  instruction  in  salesmanship,  she 
did  actual  work  on  the  job  after  school  hours.  The  graduates  of 
this  course  find  positions  in  the  stores  and  shops  of  the  city. 


Page  Sixty-three 


I  >-.!,., 


w 


\ 


^ 


^MjihMim 


I^CAAJL  WaiMd.  ia  Qanq^uen. . .  . 


Iiitrlli.nciit  {'liildfcii  nic  curious  cliilclren.  And 
as  tlu'V  lirow  older  and  nioic  observant,  tliey 
l)(\uin  to  ask  ((uestions  al)out  the  natural  objects 
surrounding'  thcui.  Keco,ii;nizin<>;  this,  the  Boston 
School  Department  provides  instruction  in  science 
e\en  in  the  elementary  schools. 

Here  the  children  learn  about  the  sky,  the 
weather,  jilants,  flowers,  animals,  and  other  natm-al 
oi)jccts.  This  instruction  is  supplemented  by 
li(4d  trips  to  museums  and  parks  like  Franklin 
Park,  to  the  zoo  and  the  aciuarium.  Even  though 
the  children  are  city-bred,  they  learn  about  the 
planting  of  flowers  and  plants  and  the  care  of 
animals  which  may  become  pets. 

When  thej'  reach  the  junior  high  school, 
l)ui)ils  begin  to  learn  how  scientific  knowledge 
affects  their  daily  lives.  They  learn  about  the 
contributions  which  electricity,  for  instance,  has 
made   to  modern  living,   and   in   learning  about 


these  various  scientihc  advances,  they  learn  to 
adapt  themselves  naturally  to  the  use  of  these 
things. 

At  the  high  school  level,  the  students  take 
courses  in  specialized  sciences,  like  chemistry, 
physics,  biology,  and  astronomy,  to  enable  them 
to  understand  the  advances  that  these  studies 
have  brought  to  the  way  of  life  in  the  modern  era. 

Students  interested  in  research  may  learn  its 
techni([ues  in  the  well-equipped  laboratories  which 
the  high  school  system  furnishes,  and  may  go  on 
to  higher  studies  in  this  type  of  work  with  a  firm 
foundation  in  the  sciences. 

The  annual  Science  Fair,  sponsored  b,y  the 
Superintendent,  attracts  many  students  wdiose 
ambitious  projects  draw  the  attention  not  only 
of  the  press,  but  of  scientific  societies  as  well. 
The  Science  Fair  of  1949  attracted  unusuallj' 
large  groups  of  interested  spectators,  old  and 
young  alike. 


MICROSCOPE  TECHNIQUE 

^  These  science  students  are  learning  how  to  use  the  microscope  in 
a  Boston  high  school  science  class.  They  will  use  this  knowledge 
later  on  as  laboratory  technicians  in  hospitals  and  in  industry. 


Page  Sixty-five 


J^e 


We  Jlean^^  ^OfH  Afaaled. , .  . 


Ill  these  progressive  days,  every  effort  is 
being  made  to  make  education  more  effective. 
A\ailahl(>  to  schools  ev(Mywhere  now  are  materials 
and  aids  which  tend  to  make  learning  more  con- 
crete and  at  the  same  time  more  memorable. 

It  is  the  work  of  the  Department  of  A'isual 
and  Radio  Education  to  increase  the  availability 
of  the  various  grajihie  and  sound  materials  to 
the  Boston  School  System  and  at  the  same  time 
to  promote  the  wider  use  of  newly  introduced 
instructional  tools,  which  are  valuable  only  when 
they  are  proi^erly  used.  It  is,  moreover,  the 
responsibilit}^  of  this  dej^artment  to  see  to  it 
that  the  i^urchase,  distribution,  and  use  of  audio- 
visual aids  are  both  effective  and  economical. 


There  was  a  time  when  children  looked  upon 
the  use  of  motion  pictures  in  the  assembly  hall 
or  e^-en  in  the  classroom  as  mere  entertainment. 
This  is  no  longer  the  case.  Now  these  various 
means  of  making  the  lesson  richer  and  more  con- 
crete are  considered  a  vitalizing  supplement  to 
the  instruction  by  the  teacher. 

Both  silent  and  sound  films,  dealing  with 
physical  geography,  commercial  geography,  litera- 
ture, art,  science,  and  even  mathematics,  are  now 
available  to  teachers  throughout  the  Boston 
Public  Schools  through  the  medium  of  the 
Department  of  Visual  and  Radio  Education. 


EASY  DOES  IT,  NOW 

These  boys  are  learning  to  run  this  moving  picture  projector  as 
-^  aids  to  the  teacher  who  handles  the  projection  of  motion  pictures 
and  slides  in  assembly  programs  and  classroom  work.  A  great 
many  films  ore  used  in  modern  teaching,  especially  in  the  junior  and 
senior  high  schools. 


Page  Sixty-seven 


II 

at 


We  Jlea/m  piam  l^adia^  too- . 


MoifON  (  r,  uiidor  Ihc  direction  of  tlic  J-Jadio 
Coordinator,  many  i)U])ils  interested  in  radio  work 
as  a  career  oi-  liohhy  liave  frequent  opportunity 
to  take  i)art  in  actual  broadcasts  over  several 
Hostdu  radio  stations. 

In  the  scliools,  radio  clubs  headed  by  skilled 
teachers  ha^•e  aided  in  si:)eech  work  as  well  as  in 
radio  presentation.  This  type  of  work  is  enjoyed 
by  children  e^•e^  at  the  elementary  school  level. 

These  radio  workshoi)s  ha\e  also  aided  in 
bringing  the  work  of  the  schools  before  the  listen- 
ing ])ublic  as  well  as  in  training  students  in  valu- 


able techniques.  News  broadcasts  written  and 
delivered  by  our  school  children  have  been  given 
over  such  stations  as  WHDH,  WMEX,  and 
WORL.  In  prospect  is  a  series  of  jjrograms  for 
in-school  listening.  Programs  would  be  broad- 
cast during  school  hours,  to  be  heard  in  the  class- 
rooms or  assembly  halls. 

Several  of  the  radio  featiu'es  developed  by 
the  Boston  Public  Schools  have  been  used  as 
imtterns  by  school  systems  in  other  parts  of  the 
United  States  —  a  tribute  to  the  enterprise  and 
the  cooperativeness  of  our  teachers  and  pupils. 


MAGIC  AIRWAYS 

These  girls  are  listening  to  a  radio  broadcast  dealing  with  geog- 
^    raphy  in  the  modern  world.    This  broadcast  supplements  the  work 
they    have   already    done    in   their    classrooms.     More    programs   of 
this  type  are  planned  for  the  coming  year. 


Page  Sixty-n 


"^ 


J!.ean>4i4yt^  Outd^idU  the  CladAAao^n 


More  and  more  in  this  modern  age  adults 
are  faced  with  \\w  ])roblem  of  what  to  do  with  the 
increased  leisure  time  gained  as  a  result  of  a 
shorter  working  week.  This  i)robIem  is  solved  to 
a  great  extent  during  the  school  life  of  Boston 
children  through  the  medium  of  extracurricular 
activities  in  both  the  junior  and  senior  high 
schools. 

Through  such  activities,  children  learn  to 
develop  hobbies  which  may  last  for  the  remainder 
of  their  li^'es.  Boston  has  been  in  the  forefront 
in  this  type  of  education.  For  example,  our 
schools  have  for  many  years  conducted  a  well- 
integrated  program  of  both  major  and  minor 
sjjorts  for  girls  as  well  as  boys.  At  the  present 
time,  boys  and  girls  engage  in  such  minor  sports 
as  hocke}',  basketball,  golf,  and  swimming,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  major  sports  of  baseball  and  football. 

Other  activities  which  attract  a  great  manj^ 
pupils,  especially  in  the  high  schools,  are  dramat- 
ics, school  journalism,  and  literary  clubs.  Sev- 
eral schools  have  chess  and  checker  clubs  in 
addition  to  the  radio,  stamji,  science,  photo- 
graphic, and  traA'el  clubs. 


Debating  and  jxiblic  forum  activity  are 
among  the  most  widely  followed  extracurricular 
interests.  Most  of  the  high  schools  have  de- 
bating clubs  which  compete  with  other  schools  in 
the  system,  as  well  as  with  clubs  from  other  cities 
and  towns.  Open  forums  are  held  in  all  the  high 
schools  about  five  times  a  year.  A  number  of 
these  forums  are  broadcast  to  the  listening  pub- 
lic over  Boston  radio  stations.  This  activity 
includes  the  Junior  Town  Meeting  of  the  Air, 
which  has  a  large  listening  audience. 

Still  another  type  of  activity  is  student 
government.  This  project  trains  pupils  in  their 
obligations  as  student  citizens  and  prepares  them 
in  some  part  for  adult  citizenship.  Each  year, 
also,  pupils  of  the  Boston  Public  Schools  engage 
in  the  Junior  Red  Cross  Program. 

Assembly  programs  to  celebrate  various  holi- 
days during  the  school  year  are  valuable  for  the 
training  they  give  to  participants,  as  well  as  for 
the  enjoyment  they  afford  the  spectators.  This 
work  naturally  supplements  and  is  coordinated 
with  the  work  being  done  in  music  and  speech. 


BEAUTY  AND  THE  BEAST 

One  of  the  bright  foeefs  of  the  Boston  Public  Schools  program  is 
■^  the  number  of  extra-curricular  activities  which  are  sponsored  in 
the  schools  throughout  the  system.  After-school  and  in-school  work 
done  outside  the  classroom  aids  the  child  in  rounding  out  his  per- 
sonality.  This  dramatic  production  is  typical  of  such  activities. 


Page  Seventy- 


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iinyi 


BEST 
RADE  VIII 


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1 

k    ■      *'■    !,   -'"*•,   ~_^^'~ 

"''^sai^ 

«Wf|f-,;  *;   g    V      . , 

■■■■F^ywpiiiiiyipij^^ 

GRADE  VII 


2^-:.,-i^ 


WUif.  Aren't  l/fau  in  ScUooi? . .  . 


Every  tcaclKM-  knows  that  an  absent  child 
eaiinot  lu>  tau.iihJ.  \\\  \\\v  same  token  the  ehihl 
eannot  ke(>])  up  with  his  chiss.  Moreover,  in 
lioston  as  in  e\  (mv  other  community,  non- 
atten(laiic(>  at  school  is  a  serious  problem  in  every 
grade  from  the  kind(>rgarten  through  the  high 
school.  We  lia\e  seen  how  the  Boston  Public 
Schools  provide  S])ecial  instruction  for  the  child 
who  is  absent  because  of  prolonged  illness.  The 
child  who  is  absent  for  other  causes,  however, 
l)resents  a  different  case. 

The  habitual  truant  is  regarded  as  a  social 
problem.  ( 'onsecjuently,  a  ])roper  diagnosis  of 
the  cause  of  the  truancy  may  reveal  the  possi- 
bility of  making  some  adjustment  that  will 
jirevent  the  child  from  becoming  a  delinquent. 

It  is  the  function  of  the  Department  of 
Attendance  to  see  to  it  that  children  and  parents, 
as  well  as  employers,  obej'  the  compulsory  school 
laws.  Working  on  this  i^roblem,  the  department 
operates  in  various  ways.  In  the  first  place, 
where  absence  or  truancy  develops,  it  is  the  dutj' 


of  the  attendance  supervisor  to  interpret  the 
school  to  the  home.  In  other  words,  he  or  she 
explains  the  aims  of  the  school  with  regard  to 
the  future  well-being  of  the  child,  pointing  out 
that  in  this  modern  age  education  is  a  vital 
necessity  for  ever.y  child. 

The  supervisor  studies  the  problem  care- 
fully to  discover  the  true  cause  of  nonattendance 
or  truancy,  with  a  view  to  lessening  or  removing 
the  cause  of  the  absence  or  truancy.  In  doing 
this,  the  supervisor  is  in  touch  with  all  other 
school  agencies  as  well  as  with  community  wel- 
fare organizations.  He  attends  court  hearings, 
aids  in  finding  employment,  interviews  court  and 
probation  officers,  investigates  employment  certifi- 
cates, and  makes  evening  calls  on  parents  and 
employers  to  explain  employment  requirements 
for  minor  children. 

In  the  course  of  their  daily  w'ork,  the  super- 
visors visit  public  places  like  theaters,  pool 
rooms,  railroad  stations,  and  the  like,  to  inter- 
view children  w'ho  may  not  be  in  school. 


WE  LIKE  SCHOOL 

^  The  spirit  of  competition  among  children  is  an  aid  to  good  at- 
tendance. Boston  Public  Schools  develop  the  spirit  of  rivalry  to 
improve  and   maintain  good   attendance   among  the  pupils. 


Page   Seventy-three 


t 


/7  yVe^  Paint  a^  Vleiu 


Tlu'  <i:eneral  puiposc  of  tlic  M.  (lertnule 
(lodviii  School  is  (o  discoNci'  and  put  into  effect 
heller  procetlures  for  ineetin<i;  tlie  needs  of 
hoys  wiio  have  been  found  to  l)e  in  conflict  with 
th(>  noimal  social  attitude  of  the  pupil  from  the 
a,a;es  of  eight  to  sixteen.  The  specific  aim  of  the 
school  is  to  rebuild  the  attitude  of  the  boys  toward 
school  and  society  alike. 

The  program  of  the  school  discovers  the 
sjiecial  i^roblems  or  disabilities  of  the  child.  Reme- 
dial work  begins  along  these  lines.  All  materials 
foi-  learning  are  made  as  objective  and  concrete 
as  i)ossible.  Considerable  effort  is  made  to  ascer- 
tain tlie  i)robable  vocation  of  the  boy  and  to  teach 
what  will  be  valuable  in  that  field.  In  addition, 
nnich  attention  is  given  to  character  trainmg,  on 
the  ground  that  the  de\'elopment  of  industry,  ini- 


tiative, courage,  and  perseverance  is  of  infinitely 
more  value  to  the  boy  than  is  the  mere  abilit.y  to 
get  high  marks. 

The  guidance  program  of  the  Godvin  School 
has  been  adapted  to  meet  the  special  type  of  pujiil 
who  comes  to  the  school.  The  boy  is  taught  to 
know  himself  —  his  strong  and  weak  points.  Job 
placement  and  follow-up  work  are  also  features 
of  the  school.  In  general,  the  school  is  vocational 
in  character,  but  each  boy  takes  some  academic 
work  which  is  correlated  with  the  vocational 
studies  in  which  he  is  interested. 

Two  types  of  pupils  attend  this  school:  full- 
time  pupils,  and  Continuation  School  boys  who 
attend  part  time  and  are  employed  in  business  or 
industry  the  remainder  of  the  time. 


A  TAILOR  HE  WOULD  BE 

This  boy  is  studying  tailoring  at  the  Godvin  School.    He  plans  to 
'^    enter  the  clothing  trades   later  on.     Many   other  vocational   shops 
are  to  be  found  in  this  school.    Special  emphasis  is  put  on  char- 
acter development  for  the  boys. 


Page  Seventy-five 


'iMi^^ 


*.fi 


1^ 


IdJe  Itao-e  PnaLle^nl 


III  ('\'c'ry  school  system  llircc  lo  live  ])('!'  coiit 
of  I  he  i)ui)ils  ])ri's(_-nt  iiuliviclual  prohleins  of  inal- 
ad.justniont  in  wliich  the  emphasis  is  on  some 
uiulesii-able  as])ecl  of  i)ersoiiality  or  beliavior 
rather  than  on  school  achievement.  These  i)rol)- 
l(^ms  include  aggressive  or  destructive  social 
attitudes,  emotional  disturbances,  or  other  t^'pes 
of  antisocial  behavior.  These  ])r()blenis  may  be 
comj^licated  by  home  conditions  or  h\  a  school 
situation  related  to  the  problem  as  it  is  observed 
in  the  school. 

^laladjusted  children  cannot  take  full  advan- 
tage of  the  benefits  of  the  education  the  City  of 
Boston  is  offering  them.  In  a  numb(M-  of  cases 
they  are  developing  i^ersonality  traits  which  may 
lead  them  into  trouble  as  adults.  ^Moreover,  their 
presence  in  regular  school  classes  creates  addi- 
tional i)i'ol)lems  for  teachers,  jirincipals,  and  other 
students. 

It  is  the  fvuu'tion  of  the  Division  of  Juvenile 
Adjustment  to  studv  such  a  child  in  the  school  or 


in  his  environment  at  home,  to  try  to  discover 
what  is  causing  the  maladjustment,  and  then  to 
adopt  corrective  means  to  minimize  or  eliminate 
the  problem  entirely.  This  is  done  by  conferring 
with  the  teacher,  principal,  guidance  counselor, 
and  other  school  personnel;  b»y  talks  with  the 
child  himself  in  school  or  at  home;  through  testing 
and  other  techniques  carried  on  by  the  clmical 
])sychologist  of  the  division.  In  addition,  the 
division  works  cooperatively  with  medical  and 
psychiatric  clinics,  with  church  groups,  as  well  as 
with  a  great  number  of  social  agencies  and  with 
other  community  organizations. 

Much  interpretive  work  is  done  in  visits  to  the 
parents  at  home  in  an  effort  to  find  out  why  the 
child  is  acting  as  he  is.  These  and  many  other 
techniques  are  used  to  help  the  child,  and  also  to 
help  the  school  deal  with  the  child  and  the  problem 
he  presents. 


HOME.   SCHOOL.   AND   CHILD 


This  picture  shows  a  parenf  and  a  Boston  teacher  discussing  with 
■^  a  child  a  problem  which  has  developed  as  a  result  of  a  misunder- 
standing. Many  children  have  problems  of  adjustment  to  environ- 
ments of  one  kind  or  another.  Frequently,  a  conference  between 
parent  and  teacher  helps  solve  these  problems. 


Page  Seventy-seven 


^ 


«k 


cM^e^e  tlte  Sti^Jlentd^  Jiea^u^  ta  ^eacU  .  ,  . 


Tlu"  particular  function  of  The  Tcacliers  Col- 
l('j>,-c  of  tlic  ("il\- of  IJuston  is  the  I laining' of  teachers 
for  tiie  various  grades  of  the  puhhc  schools.  At 
pr(>scnt  the  college  is  concentrating  on  teaching 
future  instructors  in  the  kindei-garten,  elementary 
schools,  and  special  classes.  There  has  recently 
been  added  a  complete  course  for  the  training  of 
young  men  as  instructors  in  the  industrial  arts. 

The  oklest  city  institution  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States,  the  Teachers  College  was  founded 
as  a  Normal  School  in  1852.  Since  1922,  by  au- 
thority of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  the 
college  has  granted  the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of 
Education  and  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Educa- 
tion. In  1925  the  Legislature  empowered  the 
college  to  grant  the  degree  of  Master  of  Educa- 
tion,  a  graduate  degree. 

There  are  two  courses  of  study :  the  four-year 
course  leads  to  the  bachelor's  degree  in  education; 
the  five-vear  course  of  studv,  to  the  Master  of 


Education  degree.  As  a  result  of  the  Boston 
School  Department's  foresight  in  this  matter,  the 
city  now  has  a  reservoir  of  well-trained  teachers, 
especially  for  the  lower  grades. 

Another  very  important  function  of  the  col- 
lege is  the  giving  of  refresher  courses  and  coiu'ses 
for  advanced  study  to  teachers  already  in  service. 
Many  teachers  have  taken  advantage  of  these 
courses  to  gain  the  Master  of  Education  degree. 
Classes  for  in-service  teachers  are  held  in  the  late 
afternoons,  ow  Satui'days,  and  during  the  summer 
months. 

One  of  the  unifjue  services  which  the  Teachers 
College  offers  is  its  Remedial  Reading  Center. 
Here  students  who  are  not  up  to  their  school  grade 
in  reading  ability  are  given  individual  instruction 
by  means  of  the  most  progressive  and  modern 
techniques,  including  many  mechanical  devices, 
until  such  time  as  they  are  able  to  resume  their 
normal  grade  in  reading. 


THE  LAND  OF  MAKE  BELIEVE 

These  young  ladies  are  students  at  the  Teachers  College,  studying 
^  the  type  of  material  they  will  work  with  when  they  become  kinder- 
garten teachers.  Each  year  young  women  like  these  are  absorbed 
into  the  Boston  Public  Schools  to  teach  in  the  kindergarten,  ele- 
mentary schools,   and   special  classes. 


Page   Seventy-nine 


K       k  k     tki 


iSee^-iead 


f--^^— ^^ 


purpk 


^^^^^^'^^.^^Xl^ 


^1.£.2^ 


^^ 


li 


cMelfuncj.  tUe  yaufUf  ^eacUe^  . 


Long  experience  with  all  kinds  of  educa- 
tional problems  has  taught  the  Boston  Public 
Sch()t)ls  that  beginning  teachers  in  an^'  field  of 
education  need  training  and  guidance.  In  our 
system  this  very  important  work  is  carried  on  by 
the  Department  of  Practice  and  Training. 

The  aim  of  this  department  is  to  guide  and 
train  teachers  from  the  time  of  their  pre-service 
(lays  through  the  time  when  they  become  perma- 
nently aj^pointed.  This  year  for  the  first  time 
the  staff  of  a  director  and  six  assistant  directors 
has  been  di\ided  according  to  school  levels:  an 
assistant  director  in  charge  of  high  schools,  two 
assistant  directors  for  full-time  work  witli  the 
junior  high  school,  and  two  assistant  directors 
si)ecializmg  in  elementary  schools. 

These  directors  work  with  inexperienced 
teachers  both  in  the  classroom  and  outside.  In 
the  elementary  field,  supervisors  visit  Teachers 
College  students  doing  practice  teaching  in  the 
classrooms  of  the  city,  observe  their  teaching, 
demonstrate  the  proper  methods  to  be  learned  by 
the  student-teacher,  and  hold  conferences  with 
individual  student-teachers  as  well  as  with  groups. 

Naturally,  methods  of  procedure  are  changed 
from  time  to  time,  with  the  individuality'  of  the 


student-teacher  in  mind.  Just  as  school  pupils 
have  their  individual  differences,  so  do  beginning 
teachers.  As  a  result  there  can  be  no  inflexible 
plan  of  teacher-training  to  be  administered  in  the 
same  way  year  in  and  year  out.  The  basic  plan 
must  be  fitted  to  the  particular  strengths  or  weak- 
nesses of  the  individual  teacher  being  trained. 

A  beginning  teacher  is  considered  one  who 
has  not  yet  mastered  the  basic  classroom  skills  of 
discipline,  classroom  management,  and  the  essen- 
tial techniques  of  classroom  drill,  appreciation, 
and  developmental  lessons.  The  teacher  is 
considered  a  beginner  until  such  time  as  she  is 
able  to  manage  long-term  units  of  instruction  as 
well  as  a  daily  lesson. 

Other  functions  of  this  department  are  the 
sui)pl3'ing  of  substitutes  and  temjDorary  teachers 
as  well  as  the  recruiting  of  new  teachers. 

A  procedure  recommended  by  the  Strayer 
report,  that  of  supervising,  observing,  and  train- 
ing Teachers  College  seniors,  has  been  adopted 
by  this  department  also.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
satisfying  functions  of  the  department's  work 
because  it  enables  the  department  to  carry  out 
its  program  from  training  to  permanent  placement . 


■I  KNOW.  I  KNOW" 

The  young   lady  standing  at  the  blackboard  is  a  student-teacher. 
^    She   is    conducting   the    class    under   the   direction    of   the   regular 
teacher  seated  at  the  table  at  the  left.    This  type  of  work  comes 
under  the  Department  of  Practice  and  Training. 


Page   Eighty-one 


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K-O 


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neniacnine.^  fio/i  and  cnai 
rattle  "^i 


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iddi  . 

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tea  5et-"=?^ 
wasiiinq:niac 
elevision  —^\ 
auto  -?o 
-.high  chair -^r 


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Qulde  CuHxH  Qapuvieio^ 


The  Boston  Public  School  System  has  al- 
ways felt  that  3'oung  teachers  need  guidance  and 
(liiection  in  their  work.  Problems  arise  in  various 
classrooms  not  only  in  connection  with  the  lessons 
of  the  children,  but  also  in  class  management  and 
e\en  in  the  selection  of  material  to  be  used  in  the 
classroom. 

To  fill  this  need,  our  schools  have  a  specialized 
instruction  agency  known  as  Elementary  Super- 
vision. It  is  the  particular  responsibility  of  the 
grou])  of  highly  trained  specialists  in  this  division 
to  work  for  the  improvement  of  teaching  methods, 
class  organization  and  management,  and  educa- 
tional materials  in  the  elementary  schools  of  the 
city. 

These  supervisors  visit  classes  at  all  stages 
in  the  elementary  grades,  listen  to  the  class  recite, 
observe  various  difficulties  which  arise,  such  as 
the  learning  difficulties  of  individual  children,  and 
tlieii  suggest  new  approaches  and  preventative 
or  corrective  measures  for  this  or  that  problem. 


The  supervisors  encourage  the  asking  of  ciuestions 
by  young  teachers  in  order  to  give  them  the 
benefit  of  a  richer,  fuller  experience.  In  these 
ways  the  observers  help  the  teacher  to  become  a 
stronger,  more  capable  instructor.  They  supple- 
ment in  the  practical  field  the  training  the  teacher 
has  already  received  at  the  Teachers  College. 
The  resultant  improvement  of  instruction  naturally 
redounds  to  the  benefit  of  the  children  in  their 
various  fields  of  study. 

One  of  the  great  strides  in  modern  educa- 
tion, as  in  medicine,  has  been  the  development 
of  preventative  rather  than  corrective  methods. 
The  supervisor,  with  her  broad  e.xperience,  can 
often  suggest  methods  to  prevent  failure  of  a 
child  and  thus  avoid  the  necessity  of  correction 
after  the  failure  has  occurred.  Included  in  this 
type  of  instruction  is  remedial  reading,  which, 
if  instituted  early  enough,  frequently  saves  a 
child  from  failure  in  more  than  one  field  of 
instruction. 


KEEPING  STORE 

These  elementary  pupils  are  engaged  on  a  project  developed  by 
an  elementary  supervisor  to  vitalize  the  teaching  of  arithmetic. 
The  charts  on  the  w^all  give  the  various  prices  of  items  in  the 
store.    The  girl  is  buying  on  a  budget. 


Page  Eighty-three 


Vete^anl  Qa  ta  £oUoal 


The  close  of  the  war  brought  a  new  problem 
to  the  Boston  School  Department,  the  instruc- 
tion of  returning  veterans.  Many  of  these  young 
men  had  left  their  high  school  classrooms  before 
tinishing  the  re(|uirements  for  the  diploma;  others 
who  had  left  high  school  and  were  working  when 
they  entered  the  service  were  anxious  to  return 
to  school  and  conii)lete  the  re(iuirements  for  the 
tliplonia  in  oi'der  to  (jualify  foi'  the  benefits  of  the 
CI  bill. 

In  1945,  in  order  to  make  it  jiossible  for  these 
young  men  to  complete  their  requirements  and 
get  the  necessary  preparation  for  collegiate  study, 
the  School  Department  set  up  the  School  for  Vet- 
erans. The  response  was  spontaneous.  By  1946, 
registration  had  reached  the  peak  of  767  students, 
with  300  more  on  the  waiting  list.  Thirty-six 
teachers  comprised  the  original  faculty  of  the 
school,  which  is  now  housed  in  the  High  School 
of  Commerce. 

Students  are  i)ermitted  to  enter  at  axiy  time 
and  to  i^roceed  in  their  work  as  fast  as  their  abil- 
ities will  ijermit.  Obviously,  this  method  of  pro- 
cedure ref|uires  small  classes  and  a  great  deal 
of  individual  attention. 


In  the  fall  of  1946  the  Special  Program  for 
Adults  was  set  up  in  the  Boston  Clerical  School 
Building.  Previously,  at  the  School  for  Veterans, 
some  of  the  students  were  collecting  subsistence 
from  the  ^"eterans  Administration;  others  were 
not.  Since  the  institution  of  the  Special  Program 
for  Adults,  young  men  collecting  subsistence  have 
been  required  to  pay  tuition  for  this  schooling. 
Students  in  the  Veterans  School  are  allowed  to 
attend  free  of  charge,  if  residents  of  the  city. 

In  1948  the  Special  Program  for  Adults  of- 
fered courses  from  July  5  to  August  29.  Included 
among  those  attending  were  a  number  of  non- 
residents from  various  parts  of  the  country  who 
were    anxious    to    earn    a    high    school   diploma. 

In  the  summer  of  1949  the  School  for  Vet- 
erans, in  cooperation  with  the  State  Department 
of  Education,  functioned  from  July  5  to  August 
26  as  the  Boston  Regional  High  School  for  Vet- 
erans. Veterans  from  any  part  of  the  state  are 
eligible  to  attend  this  school  free  of  charge  durmg 
the  summer.  In  the  winter  session  residents  of 
the  city  are  eligible  to  enter  without  payment  of 
tuition;  non-residents  pay  tuition. 


CHALK  TALK 

While  his  classmates  look  on,  this  veteran  is  giving  on  explanation 
^    of  a  geometric  figure.    These  students  are  completing  their  diploma 
requirements   and   preparing   for   college.     Most   of  these   veterans 
served  overseas  in  the  late  v»ar. 


Page  Eighty-five 


m. 


We  Qa  ta  li/aJz  Za^ 


Tlie  Conimoinveallli  of  Massacluisetts  has 
crrtain  laws  designed  lo  i)rotect  minor  ehildren 
by  re(]uinng  them  to  meet  ceitain  mininmm  edu- 
cational requirements  and  h.y  prohibiting  them 
from  engaging  in  emploj^ment  dangerous  to  health 
or  morals. 

In  the  Boston  Public  Schools  the  enforcing 
of  these  laws  is  the  function  of  the  Certificating 
Office.  From  time  to  time  it  issues  employment 
and  home  permits  to  minors  between  the  ages  of 
14  and  16  when  the  Sui)erintendent  of  Schools 
determines  tliat  the  minor's  best  interests  will 
be  served  by  such  approval. 


After  recei\'ing  the  approval  of  the  Super- 
intendent of  Schools,  certified  minors  are  assigned 
to  compulsory  Continuation  School  (four  hours 
a  week).  Attendance  officers  are  in  touch  with 
them  regularly.  If  the  minors  are  not  regularly 
employed,   the.y   are  returned   to   regular  school. 

All  minors  between  the  ages  of  16  and  21 
api)lying  for  educational  certificates  and  found  not 
to  possess  the  recjuirements  for  completion  of  Grade 
VI  in  English  are  assigned  to  compulsory  eve- 
ning schools.  Attendance  supervisors  and  school 
officials  assist  \\\  carrying  out  the  compulsory 
attendance  laws  as  thej^  apply  to  this  group. 


GOING  TO  WORK 

These  two  young  ladies  and  the  boy  in  the  background  are  at  the 
Certificating  Office  to  seek  permits  to  go  to  work.  Under  ilie  law, 
the  Superintendent  of  Schools  may  at  his  discretion  issue  working 
permits  to  children  from  14  to  16  years  of  age  if  circumstances 
warrant  it.  The  number  of  such  requests  for  working  certificates 
is  gradually  decreasing. 


Page  Eighty- 


^ 


SCIEHCE 


¥^^ 


*,  I 


Siatutlcd.  and  PuLUciitf  .  .  . 


\v\\  important  in  any  larno  organization 
liko  tlie  Boston  Public  Schools  is  the  Division  of 
Statistics  and  Publicity.  In  a  large  city,  the 
pulilic  needs  to  be  informetl  of  the  activities  of 
the  schools  and  to  know,  in  general,  what  are 
the  policies  of  the  School  Committee  and  the 
Superintendent  in  administering  the  schools. 

For  this  purpose  the  Division  of  Statistics 
and  Publicity  was  set  up.  This  department  sees 
to  it  that  various  activities  in  the  schools  which 
are  ne\\sworthy  are  called  to  the  attention  of  the 
])ress  and  radio.  It  arranges  for  press  confer- 
ences with  the  Superintendent  and  the  School 
(  ommittee. 

Not  only  are  daily  papers  kept  informed  of 
the  doings  of  the  schools,  but  the  large  number 
of   excellent   weekly   papers    are    furnished    with 


material  upon  which  to  build  articles  on  the  school 
system.  In  addition,  this  division  keeps  in  touch 
with  wire  services  like  the  Associated  Press,  the 
United  Press,  and  the  International  News. 

This  division  also  acts  as  an  informational 
service  on  the  Boston  School  Department,  fur- 
nishmg  information  sought  by  correspondence, 
telephone,  and  personal  interviews.  The  infor- 
mation is  available  to  all  school  personnel,  indi- 
viduals, and  agencies  within  the  community,  as 
well  as  to  agencies  outside  the  city. 

Still  another  function  of  this  division  is  the 
collecting  and  analyzing  of  statistics  having  to  do 
with  the  system  as  a  whole.  It  also  carries 
on  special  research  and  statistical  assignments 
requested  b.y  the  Superintendent  of  Schools. 


DONT  LOOK  AT  THE  CAMERA 

•^  News  cameramen  taking  pictures  for  the  Science  Fair  whicli  took 
place  last  Spring.  Publicity  is  an  important  factor  in  keeping  the 
public  informed  about  the  schools. 


Page   Eighty-nine 


^Zji^-I  ^^^ 


lltl 


m  j^. 


*7<4e  Jiicf^kted  £oltooUiou6e> ,  .  . 


One  ol"  ilu"  mniiy  serxiees  oflVrcd  by  the 
Hosloii  I'uhlic  Scliools  is  carried  on  hy  the  I)e])art- 
nient  of  P^xtended  l's(>  of  PubhV-  Schools.  This 
service  is  oiv(>n  throujih  sciiool  centers.  Actually, 
tlie  school  center  is  a  coininunity  clubhouse  for 
infoiinal  adult  education,  and  for  youth  recrea- 
tion and  guidance.  Here  ai'e  to  be  found  all 
types  of  wholesome  entertainment  for  old  and 
younj;-  alike.  There  are  dances,  basketball  games, 
dramatic  and  motion  picture  presentations,  as 
well  as  opportunities  for  various  organizations  to 
hold  their  meetings. 

At  these  14  centers  conducted  throughout 
the  cit>-  in  public  school  buildings,  citizens  old 
and  young  participate  in  such  activities  as  art 
and  crafts  instruction,  band  and  orchestra  work, 
clioral  singing,  debating,  dramatics,  cooking,  sew- 
ing, millinery,  embroidery,  knitting,  crocheting, 
hooked-rug  making,  metal  and  textile  painting, 
printing,  electricity,  woodworking,  machine  shop 
and  sheet  metal  work,  as  well  as  boys',  girls', 
and  women's  social  activities. 

Besides  these  multifarious  activities  directed 
by  the  Boston  Public  Schools,  local  civic  educa- 
1  ional  and  welfare  organizations  lacking  accommo- 
dations of  their  own  share  the  use  of  the  buildings 
on  school  center  nights  with  the  regular  school 
center  group.  Among  these  organizations  are 
the  Boston  Federation  of  Neighborhood  Houses, 
Catholic  Youth  Organization,  Y.  J\J.  C.  A.,  Jew- 


ish ^'outii  (Ir()ui)s,  Boy  and  Girl  Scouts,  Camp 
Fire  (lirls,  Universit}-  Extension  classes,  and  State 
T)ei)artment  of  Health  classes. 

The  general  aim  of  the  Department  of  Ex- 
tended Use  of  Public  Schools  is  to  promote  the 
usefulness  of  public  school  property  by  conducting 
educational  and  recreational  activities  in  and  upon 
school  property  and  by  allowmg  the  use  of  the 
buildings  by  individuals  and  associations  for  such 
recreational,  educational,  social,  and  civic  pur- 
poses as  the  School  Committee  mav^  deem  to  be 
for  the  interest  of  the  community. 

In  accordance  with  a  directive  from  the 
School  Committee,  headmasters  and  principals  of 
the  \'arious  school  districts  increased  the  number 
of  local  Home  and  School  Associations  to  nearly 
100  this  year.  Afternoon  and  evening  meetings 
of  the  groups  were  held  in  school  buildings,  giving 
parents  and  teachers  an  opportunity  to  meet  one 
another  and  to  discuss  their  common  problem  — 
the  child. 

The  first  citj'-wide  "Open  House"  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Boston  Public  Schools  was  held  on 
November  17,  1949.  This  Open  House,  planned 
by  the  Superintendent  as  an  annual  affair,  gave 
additional  opportunity  to  parents  throughout  the 
city  to  visit  the  schools,  talk  with  teachers,  prin- 
cipals, and  headmasters,  and  hear  addresses  bj' 
noted  si:>eakers  on  topics  connected  with  educa- 
tion. 


THE  LIGHT  FANTASTIC 

Here  is  a  typical  dancing  group  enjoying  one  of  the  many  recrea- 
^  tional  programs  held  through  the  city  under  the  direction  of  the 
Department  of  Extended  Use  of  Public  Schools.  Different  activities 
are  held  at  these  centers,  including  the  teaching  of  vocational  sub- 
jects, hobby  work,  and   home   making. 


Page  Ninety-one 


Stu(ltifl4^  a^te^  au/i  2>a^i  l4Jo^  .  .  . 


Tlic  ( 'ity  of  Boston  lias  pi'oNided  evenina; 
(Mlucational  oi)iiortunities  on  both  tlie  elementary 
and  hish  school  levels  for  many  years.  In  general 
the  |)uii)os(>  of  (>v(>ning  instruction  is  to  enable 
pnpils  to  niak(>  uj)  deficiencies  in  their  education 
which  have  tleveloped  as  a  result  of  failure  in 
day  schools,  or  to  study  or  review  specialized 
subjects  tliat  are  necessary  for  greater  efficiency 
in  their  daytime  employment.  For  the  purpose 
of  gaining  promotion  on  their  daytime  jobs  or  to 
pi-epare  for  civil  ser^•ice  examinations,  students 
may  take  \\\)  subjects  never  before  studied.  Still 
another  reason  for  the  presence  of  students  in 
evening  schools  is  the  desire  of  many  to  make 
profitable  use  of  their  leisure  time. 

Naturally,  the  studies  pursued  are  not  all 
academic  and  commercial.  Among  the  18  eve- 
ning schools  are  several  offering  opportunities  for 
students  to  take  up  trade  work,  either  as  beginners 
oi-  advance  students.  There  are  new  trends  in 
the  various  trades  developing  always,  and  the 
alert  craftsman  takes  advantage  of  evening  school 
woi-k  to  keep  abreast  of  new  ideas. 

In  addition,  on  the  elementary  school  level, 
many  students  come  to  the  evening  school  to 
learn  to  speak,  read,  and  write  English,  as  well 
as  to  acquire  a  diploma  as  a  requisite  to  entering 
high  school.  Others  come  to  learn  how  to  become 
citizens  and  to  study  American  histor^y.  In  the 
elementary  schools  also  there  are  opportunities 
to  imi)rove  home  living  through  training  in  such 
suljjects  as  dressmaking,  millinery,  and  cooking. 


Sucli  studies  help  the  family  budget  by  making 
possible  a  more  efficient  planning  of  home  activi- 
ties and  e.xiienditures.  The  courses  of  study 
are  flexible  enough  to  be  modified  from  time  to 
time  to  meet  the  changing  needs  of  students. 

During  the  school  year  of  1948-49,  a  total  of 
8,497  students  were  enrolled  in  18  evening  schools, 
four  summer  schools,  and  one  day  school  for 
immigrants. 

The  Boston  Public  Evening  Schools  supple- 
ment the  work  of  the  rest  of  the  system  by  offei-ing 
help  to  those  who  by  actual  contact  with  the 
world  have  discovered  what  they  lack  to  fit  into 
the  economic  and  social  pattern  of  life.  These 
same  evening  school  students,  being  more  experi- 
enced in  the  world,  are  of  help  to  younger 
members  of  the  family  in  advising  them  what 
to  study  in  day  school.  Moreover,  the  evening 
school  i)rogram  jirovides  former  day  school  stu- 
dents with  additional  opportunities  for  specific 
education  in  their  chosen  fields  of  endeavor. 

The  evening  school  is  a  most  practical  example 
of  true  democracy  at  work.  In  our  various  schools 
serious-minded  representatives  of  all  races,  creeds, 
and  political  beliefs  work  together  in  complete 
harmony  and  with  a  common  purjjose  to  make 
themselves  better  citizens  of  a  nation  which 
guarantees  eciual  educational  opportunities  to  all, 
young  or  old,  children  or  adults.  The  Boston 
Public  Evening  Schools  are  proud  to  participate 
in  such  a  worthy  endeavor. 


NEVER  TOO  OLD    TO  LEARN 


This  man  is  learning  new 
evening  class  for  adults. 


a  typical  Boston  Public  Schools 


Page  Ninety-threa 


BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


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